My Hearts Path
by kydedrakes
Summary: My world was having it's troubles, I tryed to find a way to help. Next thing I know I'm on this world, I don't know what happened or how I got there. Here I'm called Kyde, my true name.
1. Prologue

I'll start off telling you a little about myself, I'm from a Planet called 'Earth'

I'll start off telling you a little about myself, I'm from a Planet called 'Earth'. It's no different then any other world really. With all its wars and crap, but I guess with all the diverse people living there there's not much you can do about it. I lived in a large family, one little sister, one older sister and two older brothers. The oldest brother and my sister were married, only making the family bigger.

I wasn't the most active kid in the school, heck I wasn't even close. I had some health issues and that kept me from doing much. I spent most of my time taking care of my mother, she's very ill. Also, my name is Elizabeth, I'm currently 15 and I live in a small town that was located in a valley. It's in the country making the town one of a kind, but it was still small enough to make you life a living hell.

Anyways, I lived a boring life. I was always sick and I was the only one that seemed to understand my mother. We spent a lot of time together, mostly because the rest of the family was off doing things that we couldn't. So I often ended up taking care of my mother. Not that I cared, I didn't have friends to do anything with. Ya I had people that I talked to, but you couldn't really call them 'friends'. They made fun of me and things like that.

I like fantasy and am often caught daydreaming. I read manga, watch anime, draw, write, play video games, and things of that genre. They call me obsessed along with other insults. Like the best school skipper, this was because I was rarely at school.

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Yes, I have edited this again. I think this is the final time, but you can never know for sure. I'm also going through and editing the other chapters.

Edited on 3-25-08


	2. New World

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof.

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Chapter 1: New World

"Will you shuddup?!" I yelled aloud. I didn't think anyone could hear me and at the moment I really didn't care.

_'I'm just telling you to go down to that town.' _That was the voice inside of me, I wasn't sure what she was but all I know is that she just appeared when I showed up here. This was less then half an hour ago…

"I think I could have figured that out on my own."

_'Then why haven't you done it?'_

"Because _someone_ won't be quiet long enough for me to even take a step."

_'Just get moving.'_

"I feel like such aschizophrenic right now…" I sighed to myself. I couldn't believe that I was actually having an argument with myself.

_'Do you remember what I told you?'_

"I'm here to protect some kid named Sora because he's this KeyBlade Master. If he's the Master why does he need protecting?"

_'Lot's of reasons that'll become clear as you travel.'_

"Can't you just be specific?"

_'What would be the point behind that?'_

I ignored her sarcasm. "And how am I supposed to protect him? All of a sudden I'm a normal kid? No more than normal!"

_'Haven't you noticed your health?'_

I paused, "My heart hasn't been hurting." I admitted.

_'See, now get on with it.'_

She was right; I hadn't felt sick the whole time that I had been here. I know it wasn't very long, but that meant enough for me. I started walking down the hill. The trail lead to a small town next to the ocean, and you could see a small island just off the coastline.

I had walked around the town for a little bit. It was early morning and no one was up yet, or if they were they were still stumbling around. The door to a house opened. I jerked and turned to look. I saw a man who was in his PJ's.

"Who are you? I haven't seen you around here before." The man demanded.

"Well I'm uh, Kyde. My name is Kyde, and I'm new around here." The guy had startled me. It wasn't so much that he just popped up out of nowhere it was the fact that he was outside in his PJ's.

"Where are you from? Oh never mind that, would you like to come in?"

"Well, sure I guess so." I didn't want to be rude and not accept his offer, I mean what can happen? I'm already in a different world.

"Well come on in then, I'll get you situated."

I walked up to the door and didn't sense any danger so I continued in. The house looked nice, almost like a summer beach house. It had sea shells, jars filled with sand, empty bottles, and everything you would think of being in a beach house.

"Well come on sit down." The man said offering me a chair right by a glass coffee table.

I nodded and gladly took it. When I sat in the beach side chair I sunk in and made me feel comfy.

"So Kyde, you're not from around here."

I nodded, no reason to tell him more then he asked.

"Well don't be discouraged. We have a lot of people like that here so you'll fit right in."

I sighed, that was supposed to encourage me?

"So you just arrived here?"

"Yup."

"Well I know a way you could make a few friends if you want my advice."

I shrugged, "Shoot."

"Well some of the kids in the village go to an island that's just off the coast. They call it 'Destiny Islands'. You could go over there and take a look around. Then make some friends. Do you have parents?"

I just looked away, what did it matter? Not like he could help me in that category.

"Well anyway, I have boats made just for the kids so they can go back and forth from the island. You can have one, oh and the kids like to play rough so I have a wooden sword you can have as well. Come with me and I'll get you on your way." The man stood up and walked to the front door. I followed him and we got through the door and around to the side of the house. There were boats and oars leaning up against the house.

He grabbed a boat and two oars, put the boat on the ground and threw in the oars. He walked over to another pile of wood and picked up what looked like a play sword. He tossed it in the boat and grabbed a rope then put it around the front of the boat where he tied it on and grabbed one end. "Well here is all you'll need. Grab that end of the rope and we'll get it down to the water."

I nodded, taking the rope. Good thing he was close to the shore or else I would of thought he was nuts. We pulled the boat to the water and he untied the rope from the front. He pushed it in a little and then motioned me in. I jumped in and he pushed the boat the rest of the way. As soon as I was far info out to sea I stood up and looked back. The man was still there and waving to me. I waved back.

"Good bye! And thank you!" I yelled.

"It's not a problem! Have fun!" he replied.

"I will thank you!" I was surprised he heard me but it didn't matter. I sat back down and paddled my way to the island.

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When I got to the island I knew I was stronger. I knew that I wouldn't have made it to the island without a break if I wasn't. I found a 'dock' and found some ropes tied to it. I grabbed a rope and tied the end to the boat; leaving the paddles I grabbed the play sword. Looking around I found a small chain and fastened it around my waist, then stuck the toy through it. Lucky for me the sword was smooth and had no splinters. Now I wanted to look around.

The island was small and had a 'mountain' in the middle separating it into two basic parts. The side I docked at had a waterfall and some REALLY big trees. I went around to the other side by going threw a door and it was a bridge and a lot more trees. I went back on the other side of the island and realized that the large trees had platforms nailed to them and they led to all sorts of places. I climbed up a ladder and went to the tallest platform. I sat on the edge and watched the sun as it finished rising.

When the sun reached the sky, I saw boats coming in and they each had kids in them but only one to a boat. They reached the dock and tied up there boats but stayed there.

"Well they know I'm here." They were inspecting my boat and I guess they were all there or they would have thought that the one that was missing came early.

"Look! Up there." One of them pointed up to me.

I didn't feel like running down all the way to the bottom so I jumped down from platform to platform as they wound around the trees. I was scared out of my wits but I was enjoying it. I hit the soft sand at the bottom and lifted my head, "Um hi." There were a total of six kids, four boys and two girls.

The one that had pointed to me spoke first, "Who are you?"

"Isn't it rude to ask someone else's name before giving your own?" was my reply.

Then one of the girls spoke up, "I'm Selphie, and this is Kairi." She motioned toward the other girl, Kairi smiled.

Selphie had brown hair that flipped out on the sides; she wore a yellow dress and carried a jump rope. While Kairi wore a black sleeveless shirt with a spaghetti strap belly shirt that was white and purple. She also wore a purple scort; also she had a purple arm band on her upper left arm with a large yellow one on the wrist of the same arm. On the other arm she wore a black and yellow one on her wrist. She had short red hair

"Name's Tidus." The one said. He wore an open jacket that revealed his chest and black boy-shorts with red belts. He had fingerless gloves and blond spiky hair.

"The name's Wakka, welcome to Destiny Islands ya!" another smiled. He had orange hair that had some kind of dew in the front. I didn't get it really; anyways he had what looked like a yellow-and-black gym shirt on with orange baggy pants. He was carrying a ball that was striped with white and blue colors and he also had two blue wrist bands on each wrist.

"Ya! I'm Sora and that's Riku."

_'So that's Sora…'_ I thought.

Sora had brown spiky hair with a white, black, and blue jacket that was open. He also wore a red body suit with a blue belt. He had a chain with crowns and a chain necklace with a large crown hanging from it. He also wore oversized fingerless gloves.

Riku had a yellow and black singlet and long blue pants. He had black gloves with fingers. He looked rather plain to me except he had shoulder length silver hair. Silver wasn't a hair color where I came from.

"What's your name?" Selphie asked.

"I'm Kyde nice to meet you all." I smiled.

I guess I should explain myself also. I have short purple hair, which wasn't a color in my world either but when I came here it changed from my normal brown to purple. Anyways it was different lengths, I had bangs then the sides went to my shoulders and the back went maybe an inch past my shoulders, and it was a little spiky. My eyes are also purple, and I wore a purple crystal around my neck. I have a black half-cut jacket with short sleeves and a hood. Under that I have a tight silver belly shirt. My pants are black gauchos that went just past my knees and were loose. Completed with black combat boots and black fingerless gloves that showed off my purple nails, I had the complete outfit of my dreams.

Everyone smiled except for Riku. I gathered he wasn't the happy type. "So you've got a wooden sword, can you use it?" Tidus asked.

I looked down at the toy, "I guess we're going to find out."

"Great! If you can beat me then you can pick your next opponent. We have this little thing that if you beat Wakka, Selphie and I one on one then you have to beat all of use three on one."

"Is that fair?" I raised an eyebrow.

"It only proves how strong you are." Selphie smiled.

I shrugged, "Sure why not?"

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Tidus and I stood on the beach that was cleared of everyone and Wakka was refereeing. I had my sword out and so did Tidus, only he held his to the side and I held mine pointed down in front of me.

"Now remember, you have to stay on the beach. No going in the water and no running off. If you do you lose. Everyone ready?" Selphie yelled from the dock.

"Just tell me when to go." I replied.

"Bring it!" Tidus yelled.

"Alright one three, ya. One, two… three!" Wakka whistled.

Tidus ran toward me and jumped in the air, he was going to slash down. I jumped to the side, and as he came down, I pushed him to get him off balance. He ended up falling on his side and I swung down. Tidus barely blocked and pushed me back, that gave him just enough time to get to his feet. I swung in from the side and when he blocked I kicked him in the gut sending him flying. Tidus rolled in the sand and out of boundaries.

"Battle over! Kyde one and Tidus zero!" Selphie yelled jumping down from the dock. "My turn!

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"One, two… Three!" Wakka whistled again.

Selphie, who was using her jump rope instead of a sword, flicked her rope like a whip. "This is fun!" she then flung her rope at me.

I jumped back just to have the end of it slap me, which hurt. I ended up doing this for a while. She wasn't coming any closer, and I wasn't getting anywhere just jumping around. Tidus was a short range attacker; he flew into the battle. Where Selphie stayed back and attacked from afar. I had to get close to her in order to get a hit on her. After a few more times of jumping she managed to wrap her rope around my sword and she pulled it out of my hand and sent it flying into the water. I scowled; I couldn't go get it without loosing. Next thing I know is Selphie's rope is around my neck and she yanked on the other end.

Gasping for breath, I fell to one knee. I wasn't going to lose to a girl in a yellow dress and a jump rope! I grabbed the rope and wrapped my hand around it and pulled. She still stood but lost her balance, now that the rope had some lax I quickly maneuvered my wrist to get it wrapped around it and pulled again. This time she nearly fell forward, I pushed off the sand and rammed her with my shoulder and she went into the water.

"Battle over! Kyde two, Selphie zero!"

"Owwwwy!" Selphie exclaimed as she rose from the water.

I loosened the rope from around my neck and walked out to the water, where my sword was floating. I shook it to get some of the water off, and then I looked up. Riku turned away and looked out to the water. "He was looking at me."

Selphie walked up, "What?"

"Oh nothing." I smiled, "You ok?"

"Uh hu!" she smiled.

_'Why is she so perky?' _I thought, _'I just rammed her in the gut!'_

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Wakka stood on the other side now with his ball; he called it a blitz ball. "I won't be goin' easy on you ya."

"Fine with me." I smiled.

Now Tidus stood and counted down, "One, two… three!"

Wakka brought his arm back and blasted the ball forward. I jumped out of the way and the ball slammed into the sand making a large crater. What amazed me was that the ball was still spinning, and then it retracted back to Wakkas hands. I moaned, this was another long ranged fight. Also because my wooden sword got wet it became a little loose at the 'hilt' and it was now rough and hard to hold.

The Blitz ball zoomed past my head and I looked back. He had missed me on purpose. The ball came back toward me as it was retracting back to its master. I put up the sword to try and block it, but the ball hit hard as it spun in the air. It didn't stop when it hit me. It kept coming and it was pushing me back toward Wakka. I had no choice but to ditch, and I pushed upward and rolled over on the sand. I quickly got to my feet before Wakka made his next shot. I felt some leeway in my sword and looked at it; there was a crack where the ball had hit. I threw down my sword and waited for the ball.

"What are you doing, ya?" he laughed and threw his ball again.

I crossed my arms in front of me to block and the ball hit dead center. The force pushed me back but I didn't loose my footing. I broke my block and punched the ball toward Wakka. Instead of catching it the ball slammed into his chest knocking the wind out of him. I ran toward him then got him straight in the gut, sending him flying then landing on his back.

"Kyde wins again!" Selphie shouts.

I left Wakka and walked over to my sword, picking it up the sword continued to wiggle. "I think it's broken." I said aloud.

Tidus was over looking at Wakka and Selphie walked over to me. "I guess our three-on-one will have to wait tell tomorrow then."

"Ya, you didn't even get to fight Riku." Tidus popped up behind her.

"Riku?" I asked.

"Ya! Even three against one we can't beat him. Both him and Sora are really good, but Sora wouldn't fight you." Selphie sighed.

"And why is that?"

"He's more interested in beating Riku." Tidus said.

"Well then, I'll just have to beat Riku then."

They looked at each other then at me, "You're kidding right? We don't even know if Sora's ever beaten him yet." Tidus exclaimed.

"Why would I be kidding?"

"Ya Tidus, she kicked our butts!"

"But Riku's different."

They both sighed.

"Shouldn't you two be helping Wakka?" I jabbed my thumb toward him.

"IT HURTS!" he started to whine.

"I'm coming Wakka!" Selphie yelled and grabbed Tidus. They both ran over to Wakka.

I smirked at this, such good friends. They cared for each other even though they beat the living crap out of each other. "I wish I had friends like that…"

"Friends like what?" Kairi asked.

I nearly jumped, I thought I was alone and here she was standing beside me. "Like them, like all of you."

"Well I'll be your friend." She had her hands clasped behind her back as she was looking at me.

I returned her gaze, "You don't even know me."

"That doesn't matter; I can tell that you're a nice person."

I smiled, "Thanks, but you guys have a great thing here."

"You can be apart of it, you mostly are now." She laughed.

I laughed also, "I just did my best."

"So does everyone, and that's why were all such good friends."

"What do you mean?"

"Well we all do our best and we all know it. If one of us was in trouble or anything we would all do our best to help in anyway we could. We care for each other." she removed her hands from her back.

I looked at everyone; I could feel the difference here from my home. Back there I didn't have friends. "Hey Kairi."

"Ya?"

I looked back at her, "Best friends?"

She smiled and nodded, "The best!"

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"Tell me how you got me into this again." I asked sitting down.

"We just need some water and one more mushroom." Kairi said looking at a list.

"I'll get the mushroom."

"Then I'll get the water." She stuffed the paper in a pocket and ran off.

I stood up, "Mushrooms would be in a dark damp place…" I looked over to the dark corner that was hidden by the tree. There was a hole in the rock wall there, that would be the best place.

I headed over toward that area when I heard my name called. I looked up and Sora dropped down from a tree.

"Kairi said you were helping with the raft." He smiled, he was always smiling.

"Ya, I just need to get the last mushroom."

"I'll come with you. Your heading to the cave right?"

"That's the only place you haven't looked hu?"

He shrugged, "I didn't think of it."

Ignoring his obvious stupidity we walked toward the cave. Once we got to it Sora didn't bother to stop, he just walked right in. He took hold of my hand and pulled me in.

When we got to a small room the stopped and said, "Look over their!" he pointed to the corner of the room by an interesting looking door where a mushroom lay hidden in the shadows, the room had a sky light type thing so you could see, "Now we have everything we need. I'll grab the mushroom and we can get back to Kairi." He let go of my hand and walked over to the mushroom and picked it up from the ground and stuffed it in a pocket.

I was admiring the room; it had places where the kids had drawn on the walls. I didn't get all the drawings but it was all very interesting to try and understand them. As soon as he turned after scribbling on the wall with a rock a voice startled us both. We looked in the far corner of the room next to the door where there stood a man covered with a brown cloak, his hood shadowed his face to where we could see any facial features.

"Who are you?" Sora asked startled.

"This world has been connected." The man replied.

"Well whoever you are, quite freaking me out ok?" Sora said, his nervousness didn't subside.

Then the guy disappeared after saying some more stuff that totally freaked me out. I don't even want to remember that stuff, it wasn't I'm going to kill you bad but end of the world bad.

After he was gone, I looked at Sora. He returned the stare. "So is that normal? Or am I just special?" I asked.

"No I don't know who that guy was, but I think we've seen the last of him."

I nodded and smiled, "Well we've got the mushroom, let's get out of here."

"Ok we'll go give this to Kairi." Sora then headed off down the hall, but I wanted to see what he had scribbled on the wall.

I walked over to the place he had knelt and say what looked like Sora and Kairi's heads facing each other scraped on to the rock with rock and fresh scrap marks that Sora had done. It was what looked like an arm from Sora over to Kairi with a Powpo Fruit in his hand like he was offering it to her.

_'Oh that's so sweet; I guess that Sora likes Kairi.'_ I thought, _'Wait! What do I care? Why should I care?'_

"Hey Kyde! Come here I want you to watch this!" Sora's voice came echoing into the cave that stopped my thoughts.

I turned toward the tunnel and yelled, "Sure coming!" and ran out the tunnel.

When I reached the outside, Sora looked at me and smiled, "Good I wanted you to watch this."

Walked to where he was standing on the ledge to the beach, "What did you want me to see?"

"I'm going to fight Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie three on one."

I looked at him and then the trio he was to face, and gave Sora a look like I didn't care, "Have fun. I'll be watching from here."

Sora gave me a strange look, "You don't want to fight?"

"She already kicked our butts." Selphie smiled.

_'There she goes smiling again…'_ I thought.

"She did?" Sora said in shock.

"Uh hu!"

"Sorry I missed it." He turned to me, "I was on the other side of the island for the first part of the day."

"It's ok. Besides I broke my sword so I can't fight anyways." I sighed, "Now get going, or do you still want to fight?"

Sora handed me the mushroom and the foursome ran off toward the beach.

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I found Kairi and gave her the mushroom; she thanked me and ran off the place it on the raft. After that I ended up lounging around on the small island that I saw Riku on earlier, when he was watching me. There was a tree leaning off the island over the water with star-shaped fruit on it. Board I grabbed one and took a bite, to my surprise it really tasted like candy. Mostly like roasted starburst, hard on the outside but soft on the inside with the sensation of different tastes.

I finished eating it and forced myself not to grab another one, and then my focus was interrupted. "That's my spot."

I looked toward the bridge that connected the smaller island to the bigger one; Riku was standing at the edge. "I didn't know they were marked." I said with sarcasm.

He jumped up next to me, "There not."

There was silence for a while. "Why were you watching me earlier?" I finally asked.

He just looked at me, "You're a good fighter, if your sword hadn't have broken I was going to fight you."

"Really." I said, "Well maybe later when I get another sword."

"Try not to break it before you get to me." he laughed.

"Sure," I laughed with him, "it's a promise."

"Then it's my promise that I'm going to win." He said.

"Sure you will." I smiled.

It was silence again. "So…" he started, "Do you have a place to stay?"

This shocked me, was he asking or offering? "I was just going to stay here."

"Here? On the island?" he seemed confused by my reply.

"Ya, I like that highest room in that tree up there." I pointed to one of the huge trees that had platforms allover it.

He looked where I pointed, then at me. "You sure?"

"Ya, just like camping."

He shrugged, "If you're ok with it."

I smiled, for someone that was so hard and tough he sure had a soft spot for something. "When does everyone start to go home?"

He looked at the ocean, "In about an hour or so. When the sun starts to touch the water. That gives us enough time to get back home before it gets dark."

"I see. And the raft?"

"What about it?" he looked at me again. "Kairi asked you to help didn't she?"

"Well it's not like she forced me to." I admitted.

He gave out a smirk, "We planned on going tomorrow. The weather should be good, and everything will be ready."

"I thought everything was ready."

He shook his head, "We were all going to bring something extra tomorrow."

"Oh…" I looked down at my dangling feet.

"You can still come."

I looked back at him, "Really?"

"Sure."

This made me happy; there was never a time someone actually wanted me to do what they were doing.

He sighed and stretched, "Well," he jumped down, "I've got some stuff do finish up. See ya later Kyde." He started to walk off.

"You can bet on it, Riku!" I yelled to him.

He turned back to face me and smiled, then continued to walk off.

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-Chapters 1 through Chapter 6- 

That is the amount covered in this chapter from my old story... that is so sad. T-T

**This Chapter has been Edited**


	3. Continuing Forward

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof.

**Sora-Oathkeeper: **Yes, that is sad but I will do better! Also I'll go back and look at the first chapter just for you... This isn't so bad, 17 pages for only four chapters. I also added in that thing we talked about. X3

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Chapter 2: Continuing Forward

That evening everyone left to go home, and I stayed at the island. I watched everyone row to the coast from the highest platform. By then the sun was halfway under the water and it cast a beautiful reflection. I had only seen something like that once, and that was when I was on the ocean back home.

Casting the memory aside, I walked to the place I said I would sleep. After that day's events I was tired, and I just wanted to sleep. I grabbed the pillow that was left there by someone and threw it on the ground. Then slowly set myself on the ground, the floor was wood and I didn't think flopping on the floor was a smart idea… ok it was just common sense. Even though the floor was hard, I was asleep before I knew it.

I was awakened by something slamming into something outside. I jumped up and ran outside. The wind hit me in the face with a force that pushed me a step back. A storm had come up while I was sleeping, and it was bad. For some reason I thought of the raft, and jumped down the platforms again. After hitting the sand, I dashed toward the other side of the island.

I reached the raft and pulled it ashore, I was disgusted that four of us were to fit on this thing. After the raft was safely in the trees I went around the other way as the storm finally arrived. There was a little hole in the side of a cliff thing and I crept through it. As soon as I reached the other side I saw Sora running across the sand fighting off these small black things that just popped up out of know where! They kept on poking him and jabbing him with there sharp claws.

"Sora!" I cried out, then something behind me pushed me and I fell to the ground flat on my face. The ground was about ten feet below so that hurt… a lot. Unfortunately Sora didn't hear me, but I crept into the tunnel that I had fallen by, the dark cave…

I stumbled all the way to the back where the 'door' lay open, but just barely. Something inside me told me to run, and it wasn't the voice from before. As I turned Kiari ran into the room screaming, there was one of those things following her. She ran behind me and yelled, "It's after me!"

I nodded and turned to the 'shadow', that's what I called it, as it ran toward me, "You leave her alone!!" and ran to it and kicked it hard. It sorta' whimpered I guess and shrunk to the ground and scurried away.

With an odd look on my face like I had just witnessed something possible but odd I said, "Ok that was to easy..." then turned my attention to Kiari. I turned around and she was staring at me the same way. "What?"

Kairi looked at me thankful. "Thank you."

I nodded, "Don't mention it." I smiled at her.

Kiari returned my smile and as I started to ask if we should leave the door flung wide open behind Kiari and started to suck her in. Kiari started to scream and I ran behind her and grasped her in order not to let her fly into the opening.

My back to the door and slowly dragging us in, Kiari looked up at me scared to death. I tried to look cheerful but obviously not working, I told her, "Don't worry, it'll be ok. I got you and I'm not letting go." Only the opening was winning the fight. I looked around and found a tree root that was stable and spoke to Kiari, "Grab on to that root over there!"

"What?" she looked around. "That one?" she nodded her head in that direction.

"Yes that one, ready?"

"Ya, on three." She replied then she counted, "One… Two… THREE!"

I threw Kiari to the root and tried to stay grounded. Kiari reached the root and gripped it tight. She looked at me, "Kyde!!"

I smiled and assured her, "I'll see you again, don't worry about me. Just stay with Sora and Riku ok?"

Tears seemed to fill her eyes as she nodded, "I will, I promise!"

"I'll get to you, some how, I'll find you guys!!"

She nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek, "I know you will, I'll be waiting."

I was to the door now and I was holding the sides, "Good bye, Kiari." and with that I let go and was flung into the void.



I think I was dreaming, but here it is.

I was floating around in nothingness, weak, tired, and darkness starting to take over me. I couldn't stop it, I was too weak. As darkness started to engulf me a bright light shown above and a sword appeared from within it.

"_Kyde, take the Forgotten Memories KeyBlade, also called 'Gazuto'. This blade has chosen you as its master, as the Protector. Use this blade wisely child and it will protect you from the darkness that is spreading through you and through out the universe. Protect the KeyBlade Master, protect the worlds, protect those you care about, and help Sora open the door to the light…"_

The voice sounded like the dragons… I slowly reached up and grabbed the hilt of the sword, and then light shot through me and stopped the darkness from taking over. I laid my arm down, sword in hand, and felt myself change. Slowly, I began to drift down, and suddenly I was lying on stone. Felling better now, I stood slowly and found myself in a town, I saw a blinking sign that said

'WELCOME to TRANVERS TOWN".



"Where am I?" I said then looked down, '_Could that dream be real? What does it mean? I don't have that sword, so it had to be a dream._' I started to look around, I saw some people but they didn't act like me just appearing out of nowhere wasn't a new thing to them. So I didn't pay them much attention. I went into a store that was up some steps and found a blond guy.

"Hey another kid! What's up with this place nowadays?" the man said form behind the counter.

"Another kid? But I haven't seen anyone but me around here; wait was hey my height and brown hair?"

"??? What? You do know that kid! Ya he was here…"

"Well where did he head off to? If you tell me maybe I'll buy something." I coaxed him.

"What ever you say kid, he went to search the other store down the stairs." He jerked his thumb down behind him.

"Thanks! Now show me what ya got." I said walking closer to the counter and leaning on it.

He showed me tons of equipment! More than I have seen in my life anyways, there were shields, staffs, and a KeyBlade chain, then I saw some other stuff and got it just because I thought they might be in handy later.

"That it for you kid?"

"The name's Kyde, grandpa."

"Then call me Cid." He smiled.

"Ya that's it for me."I told Cid good bye and started to the other shop, I went down the stairs and went to the door of the other shop when a voice stopped me from going in.

It said, "So you are the chosen one?"

Sora jerked around from where he was standing, when I finally noticed he was standing there, "Who, who are you?"

"I can't believe it chose you, what can you do? You're just a kid."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Sora backfired.

"Oh well I'll just have to test your strength, if your worthy to wield the KeyBlade." The man pulled out his sword that looked like a large gun but I could tell it was a sword.

Sora got his KeyBlade and the man pointed his sword at Sora and pulled a trigger! It was a GunBlade he wielded! I had only heard of those in fantasy books. Fire formed around the spot where the gun started and shot at Sora. Unknowing of what he was up against Sora jumped out of the way and then charged his opponent. Hitting him and being pushed back, this went on over and over again until finally the man went to his knee and Sora mumbled something and started to fall back.

"Sora!" I ran and caught him before he hit the ground.

"You're loosing your touch Squall." A girl's voice said.

The man didn't notice me, he looked behind him, "Still things are worse than we thought."

I ignored their ignorance to me, "Sora come on wake up!"

The girl lifted her head from where she was looking, "Squall, where did she come from! I didn't see her there did you fight her to?"

Did they not see me? "No but he will for hurting my friend here, Master of the GunBlade."

Leon turned to me, "How do you know me? I certainly don't know you, you don't look familiar."

"Just shut up and fire your sword!" I said suddenly keyblade in hand.

They both stepped back, and the girl ran up behind Squall and pecked from behind him, "Squall, is it real? That's a KeyBlade!"

Squall sheathed his sword where ever it was and walked toward me. He stopped right in front of me and tapped my sword with his hand. "Who are you? What purpose do you serve? There can only be one Keyblade Master, yet you hold one in your hand as this boy."

"Well if you're so smart, why don't you tell me why?"

"You'll get the answers to the questions you ask, just like your friend."

"What? But you're asking the questions here-"

Leon squirted some powder on my face that made me sneeze, "What is this? You used this on Sor, Sora…" I sat down next to Sora looked at my KeyBlade and it disappeared. I fell back but wasn't fully asleep, I heard Squall kneel down next to me.

"Well she's not asleep: somehow she's overcoming it. I'll carry her, you take the boy."

"Why so strict, Squall?"

"Because."

"Awww you got that look again, what are you thinking?"

"If the legend is really true."

"We know it is the boy is right there."

"No I mean the other part of the legend, now hurry before they wake up, especially the girl, she's feisty."



"Kyde, Kyde…" someone started to shake me, "KYDE!!!!!"

I opened my eyes and the room was moving or I was still being shaken, I saw Sora and he _was_ shaking me. "I'm up! Let go, STOP!" I elbowed him in the arm, and he let go.

"I'm glad you're ok," he rubbed his arm, "but how are you here, and where is everyone else?"

I sat up from a bed and looked at the room; Squall, the girl and Sora were there. "You tell me Sora." I looked at Squall, "What does Squall here know?" I said.

He got mad, "It's Leon!" he stepped closer.

The girl stopped him.

"Well then," I put my hands on my hips and stood up, "I'm going to go look around." I just wanted out of there. "Coming Sora?"

Leon's arm stopped me at the door, "It's not safe."

"Leon's right, the Heartless is searching for the Key Blade."

"And what does that have to do with me?" I gave her the eyebrow lift look.

"You're the Protector." Leon said.

"**HOW in the freakin World or **_**World's**_** does everyone Know THAT!!?**" I yelled turning around facing everyone.

All the while Sora was just sitting on the bed going 'what?'Leon was about to say something when something came crashing through the window of the room.

"A Heartless, Yuffie get out of here!" Leon said.

Yuffie nodded and slammed through the door at a run.

"You two come with me!" the Heartless jumped back out the window.

Sora and I followed without a moment's hesitation. We ran down some hallways and through a door to the outside.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Second District." was Leon's answer. He continued to run again down some stairs and around into an alley. He stopped at a door that had a large '3' on it. "They are probably coming from here." Leon said to himself opening the door. "Quickly! Go in!"

"But what about you?" Sora asked while waiting at the door.

"I'll keep this area clear, now go!"

Sora nodded and I shrugged, "Fine, just be careful Squall." I ran through the door.

"It's LEON!" was all I heard before the door shut.

Sora was already down some stairs onto a main level. The area was small but a good place for fighting. I heard a large crash and I ran to the stairs looking down. Sora was on the ground with two things on top of him.

I ran down and stopped right next to them, "What is this? Some kind of party?" I asked.

Sora and the other two finally stood up. "Who are you?"

"I'm Donald Duck." the smaller one said pointing to himself with his… 'thumb'. He looked like a duck, probably why his last name was 'Duck'.

"And I'm Goofy." He did the same as the smaller one. He looked like some kind of dog.

"And were here to help the one with the KeyBlade." Donald said.

I sighed, "That would mean him." I pointed to Sora.

"I'm Sora nice to meet you."

"Kyde's the name."

"Why are you here to help me?"

"The King ordered us to protect the one with the KeyBlade." Goofy replied.

_'I thought that was my job.' _I thought to myself.

"Just in case the Protector fails." Donald added.

"And who said I was going to!?" I blurted out without thinking.

Just then a large rumble started and the ground shook. As we all tried to keep our balance, Goofy pointed up. "Look!"

I looked and a large Heartless that looked like body armor was falling toward us. I pushed Sora out of the way and jumped the other way just in time for the Heartless to land. Luckily Donald and Goofy jumped out of the way also.

"A Heartless!" Donald yelled.

"No really?!" I yelled back. I looked to Sora who was standing now. "We have to fight. Call the KeyBlade!"

Sora nodded and the KeyBlade appeared in his hand. That's when it hit me, I didn't have a weapon! _'Yes you do! You're KeyBlade._' The voice inside me said. I closed my eyes and tried to 'look inside myself'. _'Com'on, I really need to hurry!'_ A bright light appeared inside me and it forced me to open my eyes. There was a KeyBlade in my hand.

At the end of the KeyBlade was a wing, a dragon wing. It was black and purple with two spikes sticking out of the end. Then two bands crossed each other three times, each had spikes on them like those on a dragons back, and they were silver. The bars themselves were different, one was black and one was purple with some silver on them. They came together at the hilt which looked like a dragons claws and the talons came to a point on the bottom of the hilt. The bar in the center of the hilt was black with silver swirls; the hilt itself was black and purple. Where the talons came together multiple treads of purple, silver, and black dangled from it and attached to them was half a heart, it was silver and had swirls also, and looked like it had been broken from it's other half.

I got into a fighting stance with my blade in front of me and then ran toward the Heartless. Donald was using Magic, Goofy was using a shield, and Sora and I were using KeyBlades. We hacked, slashed, everything at the Heartless. Slowly it started to lose pieces of itself. An arm there, then a leg, the other arm, the other leg-until there was just the head and torso left. Sora finally made the final move on it landing on the ground next to me. We watched it disappear into the sky.

"Well that was easier than I thought it would be." I said making my blade disappear before anyone got a good look at it.

Sora's disappeared also, "So that was a Heartless."

Donald and Goofy walked up to us, "You're the 'Protector'?" Donald gave me a look.

_'Dang I was hoping that he would have spaced it during the fight.'_ "Yes, at least someone didn't know that." I crossed my arms.

"So the King was right. The Protector did come!" Goofy said.

I didn't want to push the matter about this 'King' so I let it be.

"Well then lets be friends." Sora shrugged.

_'He's going childish on me…'_ We all nodded and walked off to another door that had a large '1' on it. Sora opened it and we ended up in the place that we first appeared. Leon, Yuffie, and now another girl was there! They looked toward us.

"So you are alive." Leon smirked.

"Did you expect anything less?" I remarked.

He only smiled.

"Hey I have a question. Have any of you seen a boy named Riku and a girl named Kiari?" Sora asked as we walked closer to them.

They all shook their heads and Sora hung his. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll find them." I looked at everyone. "So let me get this all straight. These two were sent from the 'King' to protect Sora, and I'm also here to protect Sora. What are we all supposed to do?"

"Save the Worlds." Yuffie smiled.

"Boy your blunt…" I sighed.

"What about Riku and Kiari?" Sora asked.

"I think that we should start looking for them and make sure that they are ok. Then we can save the worlds. We can't save anything if our minds are somewhere else right?"

"Right, but how are you going to do that?" Leon questioned.

"We have a ship." Goofy implied.

I looked at Leon, "See we aren't stupid."

"Well let's get going!" Sora said.

"Just be careful. The Heartless want the KeyBlade and they will do anything and everything to get it." The other girl added.

I smiled to her, "That's what we're here for. Right?" I looked at Donald and Goofy. They gave a nod.

"Well let's go!" Goofy said walking toward a large door.

We got on the ship and headed to the unknown.



The ship made many different sounds, beeping sounds. They weren't annoying or anything, they were just there. Kinda' calming really, I listened to them as I sat in the back of the ship lounging around. All the while I was also listening to Donald, Goofy, and Sora talk.

"So your friends are a boy named Riku and a girl named Kiari." Goofy was scratching his head.

"That's right, have you seen them?" Sora sounded desperate.

"No…" Donald sighed.

"Maybe the King knows where they are." Goofy announced.

"So if we find the King, then we find Riku and Kiari?" Sora's face brightened up.

"That's what we think." Jiminy said. Jiminy is the cricket that was with Donald and Goofy. He's our journal keeper. I didn't notice him until we first got on the ship and he popped up out of nowhere.

"Well we better get to it." I said jumping up and walking behind Sora's chair. I looked down at him and smiled. "It's not like we have forever if what you said, or your King said, is true. If the worlds are disappearing then there are others that are in danger." I rested on the back of Sora's chair. Everyone smiled at my comment. Then a loud beeping started again, and it was annoying.

"A world!" Donald cried as he started pressing buttons.

"It looks like a jungle…" I said.

"Well the King wouldn't be there. Let's move on." Donald started to move the ship.

"Wait Riku might be there, and Kiari!" Sora tried to take the wheel.

"No wait! Don't do that! Stop!" Donald started to panic.

"Oh bugger…" I sighed grabbing onto a chair, preparing to crash.

The ship started to spin and go down. Everyone was yelling, since guys 'don't scream'. _cough_ right _cough _I was screaming as we went down to the world and crashed.



I woke up with the faint smell of wood around her. I was on my back and I felt like I had been dropped from a 20 story building. Well I practically did, maybe even farther. I moaned as I tried to sit up, my back popped, my neck popped, and even my shoulders popped! It felt good at first but what was left afterwards was a dull pain. Ignoring it I opened my eyes and looked around. It was a large tree house with holes in the walls and ceiling, most likely made from the fall from the sky. I started to scan my surrounding when I heard another moan from behind me. I looked with a startled face and saw Sora. "Sora!" I struggled to stand then ran to kneel by his side. "Sora, are you ok? Sora?"

Sora moaned as he looked up at me. "What happened?"

"We crashed, and as far as I can tell it's just you and me."

"Good! I can't believe Donald wasn't going to land here. What if Riku and Kiari…" Sora paused and looked behind me.

I looked to see what it was he was looking at and to my astonishment it was a man in a loin cloth! He was crouched down on his knuckles, like a monkey… He moved closer and I helped Sora stand.

"Hey…" Sora started. "I'm Sora."

_'So childish.'_ I thought. "I'm Kyde." I put my hand to my chest. I didn't think a man in a loin cloth would understand anyways.

The man stood up, "Tarzan." He placed his fists on his chest.

I smiled along with Sora. Sora was about to ask a question when a loud crash sounded behind us. My adrenalin hit the stars when I looked to see what it was. A huge cat was swishing its tail and getting ready to pounce.

"Oh great…" I sighed. I called my KeyBlade, just as Sora did his.

The large cat ran toward us, I jumped above him and did a flip. Just when I was right above him I was staring straight down at the cat. I hit its side with my KeyBlade sending it flying to the side of the room. I landed on my feet and skidded a bit before I stopped. The cat just looked up and growled, then disappearing through one of the holes in the walls.

"Easy enough…" I smiled as my KeyBlade disappeared.

Soras did also, and then he turned to Tarzan. "Have you seen anyone around here? I'm looking for my friends." Sora then looked behind Tarzan as if he was seeing something.

Everything went white, and I was in a different room. The room was totally white and looked like it never ended. It had no shadows or shadings that showed that there were even walls.

"What the hell?!" I said looking around. "Hey! Did you do this?" I yelled, implying to the voice inside of me.

_"It wasn't me."_

"So what the hell is going on here?"

_"Someone called you."_

"Who would call me?"

_"Like I know?"_

"But you know _everything_…" I sighed. "Well I better start looking…"

"You don't need to." A voice came from behind me.

I jumped; then I slowly turned around and saw a man in a black coat.I took my fighting stance. "Who are you?"

"Just a friend to be, if you know what I mean." The man said.

"No I don't get what you mean…" I looked the guy over; I couldn't see his face because it was hidden by his hood. The only thing I could tell from this man was that he was tall, cocky, and strong.

"Well I'm not an enemy, so I'm an ally."

He had a point; if he was going to do something he would have already done it. I relaxed some and tried to figure out what this guy wanted. "Who are you?"

"Now that would ruin things."

"Fine why did you bring me here?"

"Just full of questions aren't we?"

_"Kyde, just calm down." _Came into my head.

I replied in a low whisper, "Well what do you want me to do?"

"Talking to yourself won't help you Kyde."

I was shocked, did he know about me and… well me? "How do you know me?"

"I know a lot about you. You see you're not just 'The Protector'. You are more than that, your number 0."

"You know, about a week ago I was just a kid trying to get to school. Now I'm all these different things, and I don't even know it. So how do you know so much about me, do you even know if you have the right girl?" I crossed my arms.

"I'm the only one who does no, maybe except for that 'King' of yours."

"Well since you know so much about me, why can't I know something about you?" I raised my right eyebrow.

"You do have a point." He sighed. He spread his legs apart in a fighting stance and said, "It's me," He removed his hood, "Axel."

He had red hair that was long and spiked. His eyes an emerald green, and he had two diamond like marks right under his eyes on his cheeks. By my standards he was pretty damn hot! More than hot he was drop-dead-gorgeous! I mean he was more than hansom to, he was down right charming!

"So your name's Axel. Now who are you?"

"You'll find out soon enough. As for now I have to tell you something."

"What is it that you want?" I sighed heavily. It seemed that everyone wanted a piece of me lately.

"There is a girl; I want you to team up with her."

"Do you mean you want her to team up with me?"

"You could say that. Just don't tell her you know me, she'll kill you."

"You're odd, you know that right?"

He smiled, and then walked closer. I didn't let my guard down even though he hadn't attacked me yet. When he got right in front of me he stopped and looked down at me. I looked up at him, my face still stern. Without warning he bent down to hug me. I don't even know this guy and he's HUGING ME! Not that I object or anything, he's hot and even warm to the touch.

"Just be careful, I can't protect you yet." He said still hugging me.

"Wait, if I'm this 'Protector' then why would you protect me?" I'm totally confused.

"You'll understand someday." He let go then backed up in to a black hole that just appeared behind him.

"Wait, what? I don't get it!" I said, struggling for words.

He just smiled, put his hood, up and walked all the way through. Before I could get to it the portal disappeared.

_**You are the connection between everything… Don't forget, don't ever forget.**_

A voice sounded out of nowhere, and it wasn't from inside me. I looked around to see where it came from, nothing. Suddenly I started to feel dizzy, and then everything went to a blur. My legs felt like there weren't there, and next thing I know everything was black and I felt like I was falling.



Again a headache, I was getting sick of whatever was happening to me. I turned onto my side and light started to show as my eyes slowly opened. When they did I found myself in a tent thing. I had no idea where I was or how I got there. I sat up, still feeling a little dizzy, and looked around. I was on a small bed surrounded with what seemed like some sort of equipment.

"Good you're awake." A voice came from the other side of the tent where the entrance was. I looked to see a woman.

"What happened?" I was holding my head.

"You and your three friends came together here. You started to talk then you passed out."

"What?" I was confused; I was in the tree house not in a tent.

_"Sorry that was my fault. I took over your body when you were called by that Axel guy."_

"Oh…" I sighed.

"Are you sure your ok, you should lay down."

"No I'm fine. I just have a small headache." I smiled. "Where did the group head off to?"

"Tarzan said something about a 'Heart' then took off. Your friends followed him."

"Some Protector I am…" I shook my head and stood. "Well I'd better go look for them."

"You're sure your going to be alright?"

I stopped at the opening in the tent, then turned to her and smiled. "I'm sure it was just the heat of the jungle that got to me. I'm fine, really."

She nodded, "The jungle can do that to you."

I turned around and walked out of the tent. A brighter light shined in my eyes as I tried to shield them with my hand. "Man it _is _hot." I complained.

There where two ways out of this place, well that had a trail to them anyways. I took the one to my left; it looked like it like it led deeper into the jungle. I walked into the cool shade made by the huge trees.

For what seemed like hour I searched the jungle from the ground to the canopy. I couldn't find Sora, Donald, Goofy, Jiminy, or even Tarzan. All I found where a bunch of Heartless that looked like monkeys. I also found some that looked like mushrooms, but they didn't attack so I left them alone. Finally I admitted to myself that I was lost.I screamed into the endless jungle only to hear my own voice as a reply. Along with the fluttering of birds wings and the screeching voices of monkeys, normal monkeys. I sat down on the branch I was on and started talking to myself.

"I've jumped on Hippos, swung on vines, fought endless amounts of Heartless monkeys, and for what?! I'm totally lost!" I hit the tree that I was leaning on. "I'm no 'Protector', I'm not even sure I can do this. Why was I the one to do this?"

"Because of your heart." A person appeared right in front of me.

"You know that's kinda' freaky." I sighed she looked just like me. I guess the person or whatever she was inside you would look like you to. "So are you really there or am I seeing things?"

"Only you can see you."

"I knew it… I've gone crazy."

"Shuddup and listen." She yelled. "Because of your heart you have been chosen to take this path. Remember? 'To protect, to love and to be loved.' You're worth many things to this place, these worlds, to everyone here."

"How can I?"

"You wanted this."

"I didn't think I was asking for this. What if I just want to go back home and finish my…" I paused. I knew deep down I didn't want to go home. I liked it here, I liked the feeling I get with the people I'm around. I don't have to act different or anything. I'm just myself here and no one judged me for it.

She stayed quiet for a moment then spoke up, "I wont always be here you know."

I snapped out of my thoughts when she said this. "What? Why?"

"Sooner or later you'll finally be whole and I won't exist. I'll be you and you'll be me. No split personalities, no asking about what to do. You'll already know what to do, because you'll be ready to go on as you."

I felt sad inside, true she was me and I was her, but… I never thought that she would disappear.

"I won't disappear." she said scooting closer to me. "I'll be here." She put her hand to my chest. "Like I said, you'll be me and I'll be you. We are one person; I'm just the part of you that you haven't found yet."

"But you're right here, what do you mean I haven't found you?"

She shook her head, "When you came here you lost part of yourself, you need to find it again."

"But…" I stopped myself. "I mean, ok. I can do this. I will do this."

She smiled, "That's me for you." She started to disappear, and the next thing I know, she was gone.

I felt happy for a change. I was going to start being me and not asking questions. I was going to be Kyde.



"I hate this God Forsaken PLACE!" I yelled as I collapsed on the ground. I was back right where I started. With the dang Hippos in the water just floating there! I fell flat on my face; I don't know how long I laid there really. I just know my stomach was starting to hurt from laying on it.

"Kyde? Kyde?" I felt someone shaking me. "Are you ok Kyde?"

"You think she passed out again?"

"I don't know."

It was Sora, Donald, and Goofy. I turned my head to face them and saw that Sora was the one shaking me. "Sora!" I jumped up onto my knees and hugged him. "I'm so glad to see you!" I wasn't crying but I should have been.

I could tell Sora didn't know what to do, "I'm glad to see you to. Where have you been?"

"Everywhere and back again." I still wouldn't let go.

"Well we think we found the Heart that Tarzan was trying to show us."

"The Heart? Good! Let's get going so we can get out of here!" I jumped up releasing Sora.

Sora stood, and then smiled. "Ok guys lets go!"

"Ya!" Everyone shouted.

So we started off toward the camp and went through the other pathway that I didn't go down. It led to some cliffs, small ones but they were cliffs none the less. We walked a little bit into the cliffs then a shoot rang out. We all looked at each other then started to run. We stopped in a place that had a dead end. There was a man standing there with a rifle in his arms.

"Who is that?" I asked, there aren't very many people that I've met that carry a gun. They always carry a different weapon, usually a sword.

"Look." Goofy pointed behind him where something started to take shape.

"Ignored but that's fine." I sighed looking at the creature that was taking shape.

"It's a Heartless." Donald yelled.

"Again, no really?" I called my KeyBlade to my hand.

"Let's go!" Sora called his KeyBlade, Donald's staff and Goofy's shield appeared to them.

"Do we have a plan?" Jiminy asked as he tried to find a place to hide on Sora.

"How about kill the Heartless? And stop the man, his heart is lost to the darkness." I don't know how I knew that. I could just feel it…

They nodded; then we spread out. I climbed up the cliffs as Sora, Donald, and Goofy went after the creature below. I left the Heartless to them; I was going after the guy. The man had retreated to above, and I was trying to follow him. I reached the top where there was a large ledge. It was big enough to have a fight, but still I didn't want to fall. I would have to be careful. The man looked back at me, he had no facial expression. His face was blank; I could tell his heart was gone, lost to the Darkness.

He raised his gun and shot. I jumped out of the way just missing the edge. I pushed off the edge, launching myself at the man. He tried to shoot again but I knocked the gun out of his hands then landed on him. We started to roll over each other then I pushed him back. He went for his gun just as I pushed him away. I stood up as quickly as I could and ran for him, KeyBlade in hand. He picked up his gun and turned around I raised my KeyBlade. A shot rang out…

* * *

-Chapter 6 though Chapter 10- wow I am now realizing that Sora was right. I really didn't write much... 

**This Chapter has been Edited**


	4. Friends

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof.

**Sora-Oathkeeper-Oblivion: **Answer 1: I didn't think I needed to because of the story line, and the begining. So I didn't. Now she doesn't so I don't have to go back and fix it. happy dance I had a friend that spelled her name Yuffi, Answer 2: When your in that kind of perdicament (sp?) you just go with the flow. XD Must you always correct everything! XE Thank you:)

* * *

Chapter 3: Friends

The man fell and disappeared into the Darkness as I stood and watched. I couldn't get how it happened. The bullet laid there on the ground showing it had hit something, but it wasn't me it hit. I remember a face, a face of a girl, but that's all I saw. I just saw the face, not even the hair color or anything.

I knelt down and picked up the bullet. I moved it around in my hand, examining it. It had indeed hit something hard because the point was now flat and smooth. Besides that, that's all I could tell from the bullet. I slipped it in my pocket telling myself I would find the one who saved me and thank her properly. When I reached the bottom of the cliffs Sora, Donald, and Goofy had finished off the Heartless. I sighed happily because I didn't feel like dealing with another fight at the time.

When they looked at me they all yelled my name and ran over to me. "Are you ok?" Goofy asked first.

"What happened?" Sora asked next.

"We heard a shot and…" I stopped Donald.

"I'm fine! He missed me, and besides I couldn't go down that easily." I gave a cocky smile.

I could tell Donald was about to say something but he decided not to. This was because we were slowly being surrounded but Gorillas. Gorillas! _'I swear after I get out of here I will never look at a monkey the same way again…' _I promised myself.

Tarzan was right next to the largest one, and Sora walked over to him. Just as he did, the huge Gorilla grabbed him and flung him over the cliffs. Donald, Goofy, and I all had our jaws on the ground. Before we knew it, or could get away, the Gorilla flung the rest of us! Before I could even scream I did a face plant right into the dirt. I was totally against monkeys for life! Real monkeys or stuffed monkeys I'm against MONKEYS.

I put my hands flat against the ground and pushed myself up, and then slowly stood. I rubbed my face that stung like Hell! After I was sure I got the dirt off I looked, and Donald and Goofy were doing the same. At least I wasn't alone in the face plant monkey throw.

"Is everyone ok?" Sora asked.

"As good as it gets." I grabbed Donald's mouth and held it shut so he wouldn't go on a furry.

Sora nodded then looked at Tarzan; Tarzan also nodded and started to walk off toward some caves. Once inside the caves I noticed that we were under a waterfall, making the whole place seem almost magical. Tarzan walked into a room where you could barely hear the roar of the water. It had a small opening at the top. Vines wrapped around themselves and the walls of the cave room making any light that came in look like shimmering glass on the walls and floor. At the end of the room was a key hole.

"I get it, the Heart." The woman said.

I jerked, how the Hell did she get there?!

Obviously Donald thought the same thing, "Jane?!"

"It's the Heart of the World." Goofy exclaimed.

"So by Heart you meant this, not my friends?" Sora seemed to slump down.

"No Sora," I walked up and put my hand on his shoulder. "I think what he was trying to say was that our friends are 'in' our Hearts."

"I don't get it." Donald folded his arms and tapped his foot.

"It makes since." Jane smiled and stood next to Tarzan. "When you have friends, they have a place in your Heart." She looked at Tarzan and he looked at her. "Your friends are in your Heart."

I nodded, I understood completely. You could never just forget a friend, if they really mattered to you. "A true friend gives you a piece of their heart and if you're a true friend you give them a piece of yours. It's a perfect exchange." I never really had a friend like that, one that would stand by me and just like me for whom I was. Not since like second grade, but she moved away afterwards.

"What's wrong Kyde?" Donald asked looking up at me.

I was snapped out of my thoughts; I didn't realize the face I was making. "Just thinking, I never really had friends like that."

"Well we're your friends, right?" Goofy smiled.

"Ya, friends forever." Sora grinned.

"Ya," I put on a smile and put my hand out "friends."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy put their hands on mine. After a minute Sora's KeyBlade appeared in his hand and the tip glowed, and then the key hole glowed.

"What?" we retracted our hands as Sora looked back and forth from the Key to the wall. Then the Key started to raise on its own and a beam of light shot from it to the keyhole. After the light subsided the keyhole made a locking sound.

"What was that?" I asked.

"He locked the Heart of the world, so it couldn't be destroyed." Jiminy popped up.

"Oh…" Sora, Donald, Goofy, and I said.

Back at the camp we said our good-byes and went to the ship that was luckily still working. Donald was driving and that was final in the ship 'rules'. Whatever that means, if I want to drive I will.



The other three were talking again, and I was leaned back in my chair, zoning out. I was watching the stars go by, what else was there to do?

**Beep Beep Beep!**

Saved by a world… Donald immediately turned around and started to say something.

"No wait, don't tell me. It's a new world!" I said before Donald got a chance to.

"I don't think Riku would be there…" Sora said looking at the world.

"I'd have to agree." The world was covered in red, white, and pink colors with hearts. I knew right away that I was _**NOT**_ stepping foot on that world. "I'm not going."

"WHAT?!" Donald and Goofy screamed.

"I refuse to step foot on that world." I crossed my arms and sat down in my seat.

"But you're the Protector." Jiminy jumped on my shoulder.

"And after that last one I think I can sit this one out. I mean I passed out, got tossed like a bean bag, and! I hate monkeys."

"It's ok, you don't have to." Sora said.

I was shocked by this, "What?"

"You need to rest, and besides that's what Donald and Goofy are here for." He gave a smile.

I smiled back; I knew Donald wouldn't pass that up.

"Of course! Com'on Goofy, we'll protect Sora!" Donald started to land the ship.

"I'll watch the ship from here. If you need anything just call." I found a way to lean my chair back and put my feet on the top of Donald's chair.

Before Goofy could even say anything Donald had dragged him out of the ship and Sora, who was laughing, waved to me and left.

When the door to the ship was closed I sighed to myself, "There is no force that could ever make me got through a world that looks like _this_!" I tried to forget where I was at and got comfy.



I was so close to falling asleep I was in that groggy state. The others had been gone for a while, but they hadn't called so I wasn't going to worry. Besides it's not like Donald to just give up on a fight that easily. He was too much of a bird brain for that, literally.

I heard some noise coming from outside, "Great just when I was so close to sleeping…" I got out of my chair after sitting it up.

I looked out the cockpit, and I expected to see the tree amigos walking up, but I was mistaken. Hoards of Heartless started to surround the ship. They were only shadows, but that didn't make it any less annoying. I wasn't about to call Sora, besides I could handle a couple, few, ok **SEVRAL** Heartless.

I ran to the door of the ship and called my KeyBlade. When it came I put my other hand on the door. They were coming and they were coming fast, I would have to jump out so they wouldn't get in the ship, they were too stupid to just warp in. I took a deep breath and shoved the door open, and when I stepped on the ground I pushed it closed with my back.I raised my KeyBlade and ran at the Heartless. It only took one hit on each of them but they were coming faster then I could make them go.

"This _whack_ is _whack_ not _whack_ my _whack_ DAY!"

I had to find a way to make them all go at once, but how? All I have is a KeyBlade… _"Wait, if the others can use magic that means that I might have some in me to."_ I thought to myself as I hacked away at the black ground. _"Com'on think, what can I do?" _

I jumped back from an attack, and then got attacked from behind. I spun and got all the Heartless around me. "I can't ask for help, I won't ask for help!" I said aloud. I nearly yelled it to the world.

Just then I heard that familiar voice, _"Now you are moving forward."_

Time seemed to stop around me, the Heartless were moving in slow motion, if they were moving at all. The air seemed to be filled with energy around me, it wasn't dark energy, but it wasn't light energy either. I felt it go through me, and my body seemed to move on its own.

My arms raised and both of my hands gripped the hilt of my KeyBlade. Then my hands let the Key point down. After a few seconds of standing there the words came to me and as I spoke them they echoed.

"DARK HOLE!" My arms shoved my KeyBlade deep into the ground, and then turned it as if opening something.

Time started again and a huge black hole opened up in the ground. It was swirling with Darkness, and was sucking up everything. Yet neither my surroundings nor I was affected by its pull. The hole sucked up the Heartless several at a time. By the time they were all inside it the hole closed and I fell to my knees.

I heard clapping behind me, I thought it was Sora but I decided to look before I mouthed off. I'm glad I did, because it was a girl. I looked at her for a moment, she somehow looked familiar. Could she have been the one from earlier? The one that saved me from being shot?

"Nice, now I know why you're this 'Protector'." The girl said as she walked closer.

"Everyone knows I'm the Protector, but why are you here?" I tried to stand but started to wobble.

"If that's the first time you've done that I wouldn't rush to stand if I were you."

"And how would you know?"

"Lets just say I understand what that was, but what was it that you called it?"

"Dark Hole I think, now answer my question."

"Tai, I'm here for a reason that I would rather keep to myself."

"Fine by me. Your business is your business." I said getting my balance.

I could tell she was looking at my KeyBlade. "Now your name is?"

"Name's Kyde." I made my KeyBlade disappear.

She seemed to smile at this, "I didn't know that the Protector had a KeyBlade."

"If that's what you wana' call it, sure. I have a KeyBlade, but don't go around preaching it to the worlds."

She stayed quiet.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just looking."

"Well you just gona' look or do something?"

"What?"

"I mean why are you really here."

She shrugged, "I wanted to see if the Protector was worth my time."

"Are you asking or saying?"

"Both, I'm coming with you."

"What? Why?"

"Does it matter? What, are you saying I can't?"

"No I'm just asking why."

She just looked at me, like she was thinking about something deep. Something that was hers to keep and hers alone.

"Well?" I asked.

"I have my reasons."

"That again? Fine, I don't mind."



Tai's hair was shoulder length, but her bangs reached her jaw. It was golden brown in color with black tips. Her eyes were green, but seemed to change color when she was mad. It turned to a golden color, other than that they were green with only a little gold in them.

Her clothes were loose on her body. They looked like they were easy to move around in. She had pants with a tank-top with a vest. Which I liked by the way. Her pants were blue, her shirt was black, and her vest was a mix of black with red and blue weaved into it.

Other then her clothes, she was rather pAl like me, she also had a silver necklace with a little fire symbol on it with a red stone set to look like some kind of fire design. She was also about my height, maybe a little taller but we both had boots on so you couldn't tell the difference. She was maybe my age to, but I wasn't going to ask.

We both were leaning up against the ship, not saying a word. We were both in our own little places. I wanted to know why I was dragged into this thing with Axel and Tai. Is there something I must do? Is there something to gain from this?

As I pondered on these thoughts they were soon shattered but Sora's voice. "Hey Kyde! Sorry we took so long! You wouldn't believe what happened."

It was obvious that they didn't see Tai from where they were coming from, "Don't tell me, I don't want to know."

Sora looked past me, "Who is she? Is she a friend of yours?"

I looked at Tai, she was looking at Sora, "You could say that. She wants to come with us, and since Donald and Goofy are still arguing I'll take that as a yes." I looked back at Sora.

"Ok, what's your name?" He asked.

"Tai." Was her reply.

_'Well she's blunt.' _"Well let's get going, it'll get dark on this world soon and I'm sick of Heartless." I said opening the door.

Sora nodded, "Donald, Goofy! Com'on! We're leaving!"

Tai walked past him and into the ship as they finally realized that there was someone new.

I took my seat and Tai took the last one in the far back. "So that's the KeyBlade Master?" she asked.

"Yup, why do you ask?"

"I didn't expect him to be so, so. Well jolly I guess."

I smiled, "He has to be, if we give up our 'jolliness', then the road we are on would be long. Without having some fun you'd get board and want to quit." I had no idea where that came from. It just kinda' felt that way inside, but that's what I really felt.

She looked at me, "If you say so."



Tai and I sat and kept to ourselves, Donald was doing something with the ship, Goofy was almost asleep, and I could tell Sora was thinking about something. I didn't want to bother his thoughts, but I didn't want him to be so sad. Just looking at that face when it's not smiling is depressing.

I sighed to myself and started thinking to myself also. _'What could be the problem? We haven't found any sign of Riku or Kiari, but it's not time to give up hope. What could he be thinking about then?'_

Looking out of the ship, I saw so many stars going by, knowing that each was a world. A world with life, happiness, sadness, pain, and joy. There used to be more, before the Heartless came. That's what I was told anyways, but how could so many be gone when there were still so many left? What happened to all those lives?

It made me almost mad inside; I could feel the emotion creep through me. I guess I must have acted different or something because I noticed that Tai was looking at me. Not in the way she would be just looking at you, she was looking into me.

"What's the matter?" She said at almost a whisper.

"Nothing." I replied.

She smiled then stood and walked over to my chair and sat on the arm. "Please, I'm not stupid."

I gave her a grin, "I'm just thinking," I looked past her and whispered, "I'm more worried about him than myself."

Tai looked at Sora, he was still looking down. She turned back toward me, "That's your job. That means your doing well."

"And what's your 'job'?"

She gave me a glare for a moment and her eyes almost changed color from green to gold, but it quickly changed back. "If we're going to travel together we should at least try to be ok with each other."

"I thought you didn't want to be 'ok' with me?"

She didn't say anything.

"Alright, just as long as you answer this question for me."

"What is it?"

"Why is it that your eyes sometimes change color?"

She almost looked pained by my question. Like it was something deep that she didn't want to let out. "Why do you want to know?"

"Fine, I'll answer a question and you answer a question. Deal?"

She nodded, "Where do you come from?"

"What?" I didn't know what she meant by this. Did she mean my 'real' home? Or the place I called home when I came here?

"You're not from here, I can tell."

"I came from Sora's home."

"No, I mean you're not from around here."

"Have you been watching me?"

Her face answered my question with shock.

"So it was you that saved me from that bullet!"

**BEEP! BEEP!**

The ship sounded that annoying noise again. I groaned, "We'll continue this talk later."

Goofy had already shot up and was about to ask what world. Sora was right in the middle looking at the world. I to looked, along with Tai, it wasn't very interesting. It looked like it was in the era of the Greek Gods.



As we started to walk off the ship, Tai started beeping. I looked at her and she looked at me, "I have to go."

"Go where?" Donald asked.

"I need to check on something."

"Like what?" Goofy asked.

"Just something."

"You're going to go by yourself?" Sora walked in between the two.

She nodded.

"No she's not."

Tai looked at me.

"I'll go with her, if it's ok with the KeyBlade Master." I smiled at Sora.

"I don't mind, and maybe you'll find Riku and Kiari."

I nodded and smiled, "Ya, I won't be gone to long." I looked at Donald and Goofy. "Now you two, I'm taking a little time off. Can you handle Sora on your own?"

"Of coarse we can!" Donald saluted me, and Goofy did also.

"You'd better." I turned to Tai. "Now let's go." I winked

She nodded and started walking off, I followed.

"Be careful!" Sora yelled as we walked off.

"You to!" I yelled back.



"So where are we going?" I asked after sitting down in the sun for a while.

"You'll see." Was all she said.

"When is your 'ship' going to get here?"

"It should be here in five minutes."

I stayed quiet; I didn't like the heat to much. It seemed like Tai kind of liked it, but I couldn't tell. I was born in the summer but I love the pureness of the snow. Where I lived back home, the winters were always cold and it always snowed. The snow was at least a foot or so, only once did it get over five feet, then it was taller to me. I was about the age of six or seven back then and I made myself tunnels under the snow, and I stayed there by myself during recesses at school.

Back then, it was lonely for me. I didn't have very good friends, and they always ditched me when they could. Finally I didn't even try to find them; I would just go off by myself. When it was nice out I would go to the gate and watch the birds fly around the bat house we made just a year before. I listened to the river that went right by it, and I wished I could go home.

But in the winter I either stayed inside drawing and writing, or I was outside in my huge coat hiding in the snow. I even fell asleep a few times, and got in trouble. I had no friends, no one to talk to that wanted to talk to me. They knew I was different, and now I think I know why. I always believed that there was more to life than just living it. More to things you just think up and go on with. I thought that everything you made in your mind was made somewhere else.

"Hey you with me?" Tai had her hand on my shoulder.

"What?" my train of thought just crashed.

"I said are you with me?"

"Oh ya, sorry." I got to my feet and she nodded and walked off toward a ship.

I must have been deep in thought if I didn't notice that thing. I just shrugged and jumped in behind her.



After a while of her driving and me sitting on the floor, I heard her flip some switches and turn her chair to face me. "What were you thinking about?"

"When?"

"Back on that world."

"Oh, I was just thinking."

"No really." She gave me a look. "About what?"

I looked at her, "Home."

"Your home?" She leaned back in her chair.

"Ya." I stared at the floor.

"What happened to yours?"

"What do you mean?" I just told her one of my deepest thoughts, and she asks more questions.

"Was it destroyed?"

"Oh no, at least I don't think so."

She looked at me, "You don't think so?"

"It's kinda' hard to explain." I sighed.

"We've got time."

I paused for a moment, and then leaned back against a wall. "When I came here, to Sora's World, I didn't come by ship or anything like that. I just appeared there, and that's it."

"That's it? You just 'appeared' there?" I could tell she wanted more.

"One moment I'm on my world, in the mountains. Then the next thing I know I'm in Sora's World."

Tai went quiet, and she didn't say anything for a while. I think she was trying to figure things out in her head. "Are you sure that's all?"

"Ya, I'm sure." The part before that wasn't for her to know yet… Oh and also the fact that I had a 'split personality'.

_'You never know, she might understand.' _

_'I thought you left!' _I said in my head.

_'You need to try and trust people more. She could be a good friend to stand by your side later on.' _

_'I'll do what feels best for me, and I'll tell her when I'm ready. I'll tell everyone when I'm ready.' _I didn't really want to. They might have thought I was crazy.

Tai was looking at me, "Now what?"

"Oh nothing, just something I remember from back home." I tried not to blush, could she tell I was talking to myself in a way?

**BEEP! BEEP!**

Saved by the same annoying bell, I thought that at least she would have a different sound. Tai turned around in her chair and flipped some switches.

I stood and leaned on her chair. As we moved forward I could see something coming into view. What I saw wasn't very interesting, and to tell the truth I was sad because of it. It was a World that looked like it was dead, to me anyways. It was covered in a shade of Darkness and looked like it had been that way for a while now. As we got closer I realized that the Darkness I saw was thick fog, purple in color. Not much light shown through them making it hard to see what was five feet in front of you.

Tai landed the ship on what seemed like the ground. Hoping it was flat, I sighed to myself. She got up without a word and hopped out of the ship, and of course I followed. I watched the cockpit close behind us and tried to cover my mouth and nose.

"What is up with this fog?" I said through my hand looking about at Tai. _'I can hardly even breathe in this.'_

"This is what happens when a World dies and it hasn't been destroyed yet. The Darkness over takes it and the air thickens with dense fog." She started to walk off away from the ship.

I didn't bother asking how she knew that, I just took her word for it. Complaining under my breath I followed behind her.

It seemed like forever to me in the fog while we were walking. Probably because I was breathing so shallow and I couldn't get enough air. I wondered if Tai was having the same problem, and if she was she was hiding it well. She also seemed to know where she was going. If I was leading I would have fallen flat on my face in the first three minutes.

"So…" I started to say. "What are we doing here?"

"Checking something." Was her blunt reply.

"I know that, but checking what? I'm starting to get dizzy."

"I need to know if …" she paused. "Never mind, you'll probably see."

After probably half an hour she stopped and I thought I was going to faint. My head was spinning from lack of oxygen.

"Hum."

"Hum what?"

"There was something that gave off a signal that my scanner picked up. I'm probably too late."

"I'll say, the world's dead. What could be here?"

"I'm looking for worlds in trouble or in chaos. I wanted to see if…" Tai stayed quiet for a few moments.

"Were you looking for someone?"

Immediately she turned to face me and I could tell by the look on her face that she was.

"Well why didn't you just say that in the first place?" I shrugged, "I wouldn't have cared if we took a detour to find someone."

Tai's face changed, "I was just hoping…" she looked at me, "Are you ok?"

"Of coarse not! I can hardly breathe!" I complained.

"I can breath fine. What's wrong with you?"

"How the Hell should I know?" I could feel my legs about to give way. She was saying something but I couldn't hear her. My head felt heavy and my legs felt gone and the last thing I remember was a mix of black and purple, and the feeling of falling.



"My aching head." I said aloud, and put my hand on my head.

I rolled onto my back after realizing that I was on my face. Opening my eyes I felt a little strange, like my body wasn't my own. I sat up and looked around me and didn't recognize anything. Everything was silver yet the walls didn't hold any light. Not like there was any to hold, the room was totally without light. Except a small window shaped like a tower that was mostly closed.

"What the Hell is happening?" I whispered. "This body, why does it feel so strange, but so much like me at the same time?" I looked down at myself; I was wearing that same coat that Axel wore. I removed my hand from my head and placed it on my chest. "I feel so, so empty?"

A knock at the door to the room I was in startled me, "Hey you in there?"

I knew that voice, but who was it? "Who is it?"

"I'll leave you alone for a while longer." The voice said then whoever it was walked off.

"What is going on here?" I got off the bed I was on and went to the window.

When I opened it I saw a large forest, and a starry sky. It was beautiful, and peaceful. The forest held nothing but silence and the sky held no moon that I could see, yet light came from somewhere. I realized that not only I felt empty but everything else did to. Everything around me felt empty, felt like it had nothing. The trees full of leaves seemed bare, and the sky glistening with stars seemed like a cloudy night.

I turned away from the window; I didn't want to look anymore. Trying to forget the feelings of emptiness I looked around the room. It looked like just a regular bedroom; it had a bed, small desk, mirror, book shelf, and a door.

"I wonder…" I walked over to the mirror and before I looked in I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.

_"Kyde?"_

I heard my name, but it wasn't from inside my head. It was coming from around me like someone was right there, which there wasn't.

_"KYDE!!"_

Now I felt my body shake, like I was being thrown around.

_"COME ON KYDE!"_

I opened my eyes expecting to see a mirror, but everything around me changed. I was in Tai's ship and she was shaking me franticly. She stopped when she saw my eyes open.

"Don't you EVER do that to me!" Tai seemed mad and grateful at the same time.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" I was totally pissed. I wanted to know what was happening and I wanted to know now.

"How the Hell should I know? One minute you're talking to me, then next you're out cold, and now you're screaming!"

We both went silent for a few moments. Then Tai stood and held out her hand, "Well we might as well get going."

I nodded and took her hand.

She helped me up, and then turned to sit in her chair. "I've been looking for Sora, Donald, and Goofy's ship. I just got a lock on it not to long ago, and just as I set it to auto-pilot you started making noises."

"Noises?" Did she mean like snoring?

"You kept moving around and saying stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Stuff like 'empty', and 'nothing'." She looked at me. "Did anything happen when you passed out?"

Now where was she going with this? "Not that I know of." I shrugged, "It was probably a dream, but I don't remember having one." I must be good at lying because she believed me, I think…

"Alright then, let's just get to Sora." She turned her chair around to face the front.

"Hey Tai."

"Ya?"

"Can we, well… Can we keep this between you and me?"

She paused, "Sure, that's what friends do."

I smiled, _'Friends hu…'_



"How many times have I said I don't like the heat mixed with sand!" I yelled into the desert.

"You haven't." Tai said.

"Maybe not to you!" I put up my hood.

"My sensors told me that Sora should be over there in that city." She pointed toward a huge city with high walls in the distance.

"Couldn't you get any closer?"

"Not in this weather." She started walking.

I mumbled to myself as I followed her. It's not like I wanted to walk in this weather either, but I guess I didn't have any choice. While Tai and I walked the storm seemed to get worse and worse. Like we were walking into the middle of a tornado and everything would be calm once you got to the middle. For a few moments anyways, hoping that you would be safe enough until it ends.

Once we got to the city walls it took both of us to open the doors, and once in we were in an abandoned market place. It was quiet, and very unlike a city.

We walked out of the market and into a more 'populated area'. There were voices coming from above, not from heaven! They were in a room above us, and it looked furnished. It had colorful cloth over the openings used for windows and doors.

Tai and I looked at each other and nodded, and then we started jumping on top of boxes and such to get up there. Once we were up there we first listened to who was in there. Quietly we stood close to the doorway that was covered by cloth and listened.

"It's ok, Aladdin, we'll get her back." Donald said.

"Of coarse we'll get her back!" That was Sora. "Because we're going to help you!"

"YA!" Donald and Goofy said.

"Really? You guys would do that?" That had to be Aladdin.

"Ya, that's what friends do." Sora's voice seemed to trail off at the end.

I walked in pushing the cloth aside, "Friends stick together, they fight for each other, they protect each other. They never let you fall, they stay with you through it all, and they can even give everything for each other." I said smiling at Sora, "They'll never walk away when you need them, they'll come when you're in need, and keep you safe."

Sora smiled at me, I could tell he was thinking of Riku and Kairi.

Tai walked in behind me, smiling, amazingly.

"Now who needs saving?" I said looking at Aladdin.

"Aladdin this is Kyde and Tai. The friends that I told you about earlier and they're going to help save Jasmine." Sora introduced.

Aladdin nodded, "Thanks guys. Now we just have to go to the Cave of Wonders. That's where Jafar is most likely to be." He stood. "Let's go."



"So this is the Cave of Wonders." Sora jumped off Carpet and looked at the cave-like structure.

It was in the shape of a tiger's head, and made completely out of sand. Making me completely and utterly uncomfortable about going in. I hated the sand storm, and I didn't want to be buried under tons and tons of it! I jumped off Carpet anyways with Tai and the others. Carpet was a magic flying carpet that took us from the city to here.

"Yup that's it." Aladdin said behind me.

"Kinda' freaky." Tai said.

"Yup." I agreed. That was the extent of our conversations, and that's all we needed.

We followed the others in, not saying a word, taking in everything, and both wishing we weren't there. At least I think that she didn't want to be here, she acted like it. Then, of course, Heartless littered the path from the entrance on, and there was swimming involved. Under us were water passages, don't ask how, there just were. So after some sand there was water, then sand, then water, then more sand, and more Water!

Finally after the pattern we ended up in a treasure room, the whole place was one but this was the biggest one of them all! Golden walls glittering from the fire light, mountains upon mountains of gold and riches, but I wasn't that stupid. I just followed Sora and the others, and grabbed Donald before _he_ did something stupid.

In the next room you could see a blue floating 'person', a guy with funky red and black clothes, and a princes was lying down. She must have passed out.

The funky guy turned around, "Ah! That Street Rat and that boy has come, but with more this time." He turned to the blue guy, "Genie! My second wish! Destroy those brats!"

"Genie no!" Aladdin yelled.

"Sorry Al, I have no choice."

"Sora." I whispered, "You fight that Jafar guy, and Tai and I will get Jasmine." I was guessing it was Jafar, who else would it be?

Sora looked at me and nodded, and with that, Tai and I tried to sneak around to Jasmine. They fought long and hard against Jafar, and it seemed forever before they got him to stop. Tai and I were trying to wake up Jasmine, but with no luck.

Jafar stepped back, "Genie. My third wish."

"No!" Sora said.

"Make me an all powerful genie."

Genie shot him with magic reluctantly.

Jafar started to glow red and everything went bright then there was a huge hole in the middle of the room. An evil laugh echoed from underneath.

Sora looked at me, "I think I'll need your help."

I nodded and looked at Tai and she nodded also. We gathered next to the hole, looking down.

"Let's go!" Sora yelled and we jumped in.

In the hole there was lava and it was HOT. The only thing to stand on was a platform that was always moving. Jafar, now a huge red Genie, went in and out of the lava, laughing, and a bird was flying around with his lamp.

"If we attack the lamp," Aladdin started. "then we can defeat him!"

We split up after Aladdin said this, with Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Aladdin going after the lamp, and Tai and I distracted Jafar.

"Hey Tai." I yelled stepping in front of Jafar. "Did I ever tell you what it means when bad guys get big?"

"No, what?" she said playing along.

"They either have a big ego, or" I said smiling and holding my KeyBlade, "They're trying to confiscate for something!" I slashed the air with my sword, "Blizzard!" Ice shot toward Jafar. Tai had taught me this earlier while we were on her ship.

Tai mimicked me, "Or maybe both!"

Jafar was pained by the attacks. Over and over we did this, and making jokes all the way. Jafar would throw large chunks of lava and such at us and we would freeze it and send it right back at him.

Even though my worst fear in the world is volcanoes and lava and all that I had loads of fun. Was it because I had changed that much since I came here, and met Sora and the others. It had to be; otherwise you wouldn't have caught me dead in here. With or without someone by my side.

Tai and I were about to do a double Blizzard strike, but stopped. Jafar started to glow a red-black color. "What now?" Tai said.

"Did we do it?" I still held my position.

"Jafar!" Aladdin yelled from behind us.

Both of us turned to look to see Aladdin standing next to Sora and the others holding a black lamp in his hand. I smiled, it was over.

"I command you; go back to your lamp!" Aladdin's voice rang out and Jafar started to get sucked into the lamp.

"NOOOOO!" Jafar yelled, but before he got sucked in he grabbed his bird and was gone. Inside the lamp you could tell that he was really, _really_ mad.

The hole started to disappear, and the next thing I know I'm standing in the room we were in before, and the hole was gone. Almost like it was never there in the first place. I was just glad I was out of the frying pan and the burner.

"Ya! We did it!" Donald yelled.

Goofy did that strange laugh of his and started to jump with Donald.

"Jafar is gone and Jasmine's safe!" Sora smiled.

"Jasmine? Jasmine!" Aladdin yelled, "She's gone!"

I looked, and sure enough she was gone. "WHAT THE HELL." I yelled.

Everyone ran over to where she once was, looking everywhere. There was no sign that she had even been there.

"What's up with this?" Tai said rather upset.

"You tell me." I folded my arms.

Aladdin was now on the ground, "Jasmine…"

Sora lifted his KeyBlade to a huge key hole in the wall. The tip glowed then shot into the keyhole, making a locking sound when it disappeared, and the key hole slowlydisintegrated

"Locking a world's door." Tai said answering my unasked question. I don't know how she does that…



I sat on a pillow in Aladdin's home, "It's ok, we'll find her for you."

Aladdin looked at me.

"Ya, we'll get her back." Sora added.

"Thanks guys."

Genie popped up, "Come on Al, you could just wish her back. You do have one wish left."

"Ya, your right." Aladdin stood. "Genie…" he paused, such suspense "I wish for your freedom."

Genie looked shocked, "Al!" with that he started to glow blue. His arm bands disappeared and his 'tail' turned into legs. When it was dune he looked at Aladdin, "But Al why?"

"I promised you Genie, now you're free." Aladdin smiled. "But can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything pal."

"Will you go with Sora and the others; you could help them find Jasmine."

"Sure I will."

Sora only nodded, I shrugged, Tai didn't seem like she minded… too much.

* * *

-Chapter 11 through Chapter 15- That's not so bad... right? ;

**This Chapter has been Edited**


	5. Disgusting, Repulsive… WHAT THE HELL!

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof.

I posted this one before anyone got a chance to review the last! XP

* * *

Chapter 4: Disgusting, Repulsive…

What the Hell!

After deciding that one ship was too small for five people, Tai and I flew right behind Sora's ship. Because there was only one chair in her ship, I laid on her bed near the back. This made the trip quiet except for the occasional Heartless ship that got in the way.

_**"You guys still with us?"**_ Sora's voice came over the intercom.

"Yup." Tai answered.

_**"We have something on our screen that we can't get any info on. Do you guys have anything?" **_

Tai leaned to her right, "I've got nothing. You sure you're not just picking up a large meteor?"

There was silence then a sound of something crashing.

"Hey, you there?" Tai said.

I got up and stood next to her, "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, I can still see their ship but—"

"What is that?!" I cut her off. "It looks like a whale!" There was a huge whale that just appeared in front of Sora's ship.

Tai didn't say a word; she just went to pushing buttons and flipping switches again.

"Sora! Donald! Goofy! Can you hear me?!" I yelled into the intercom.

_**"It's going to eat us!"**_ Donald's voice finally came.

"Oh great…" I said.

"He's right! It's going to swallow both of us!" Tai yelled.

The whale came up again and turned towards us, and its mouth was open. "Can't you dodge it?!"

"Not without killing us!" Tai braced herself, "Hold onto something!"

I grabbed onto her chair, "I never thought I would become fish food!"



"Hey wake up!" Tai's voice rang out. "Get you butt up!"

I opened my eyes, and Tai was shaking me again, "De ja vu."

"Shut up." Tai said and sat down.

I sat up, "I feel gross." I looked around and saw that we were in the whale's mouth. "Now I know why…" I immediately stood up. The 'ground' was warm and soft, and it made me feel sickish. "Where's Sora?"

She pointed to across the mouth were there was a ship. Sora, Donald, Goofy, something that looked like a puppet, and an old man were talking.

"Do we have to be here?" I moaned.

"We might as well; there might be a reason for being here."

"There's always a reason for everything…" I said full of sarcasm.

Before she could make any smart remarks Sora was yelling our names and waving at us. "I guess he wants us." She sighed. Then she stood.

I stood, feeling the mushiness of the whales' mouth. As we walked I could feel myself sink in like on a brand new carpet. Only you didn't like the feel of sinking so low into the floor. Trying to stay out of the 'water' we made it over to everyone.

"So these are your friends?" the old man asked Sora.

"Yup, this is Kyde and Tai. They were in a different ship but were swallowed anyway. Guys this is Gepetto." Sora said.

"Well, Pinocchio was talking to himself earlier about some way out, but when I asked what he was doing he said 'nothing' and ran off before I could see if he was lying." Gepetto shook his head, his face seemed worn.

"Well would you like us to ask him?" Goofy asked.

Gepetto seemed to be brightened by this, "Yes that would be wonderful. You're his friends so he should listen and tell you. Pinocchio!" Gepetto yelled. No answer came, "Pinocchio!?" he yelled again. "Where did he go?"

"Don't worry, we'll look for him." Sora offered.

I sighed at this, he always jumped into things. That must be because of his heart… he _was_ chosen to be the KeyBlade Master. So I just shrugged, "Sure, we can do that."

Tai seemed to look at me the same way I started to look at Sora, always jumping into things. "Fine."

"Thank you, he should be around here somewhere. He doesn't go far." Gepetto said.

"Ok we'll be back." Sora said and turned to leave.

We left Gepetto and went to the hole in the 'wall' that was the only way out other then the mouth. Inside the color changed to a dark blue-ish color with dots all over the place. If you ask me it was way gross!

Everyone started off towards another hole then we're stopped by a voice, a familiar voice. "Well, well, fancy seeing you here. Sora." We looked up above us, Riku stood with a puppet, I'm taking it that that was Pinocchio.

"Riku! Man where have you been?" Sora asked.

"So you do care about me." Riku crossed his arms.

"What are you talking about?" Sora seemed confused.

"Let's have a race." was his reply.

"Riku? Enough of this, come down here."

"So you're too good to play with us now that you have the KeyBlade?"

"What?"

"Riku stop!" I yelled.

Riku seemed to see me for the first time, like he didn't see me. "Kyde?! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be..?" he stopped himself.

"What? Be where? What are you talking about?" I asked.

Riku just shook his head and ran off with Pinocchio into another hole.

"Riku!" Everyone but Tai yelled.

Sora started to run towards the landing where Riku once stood, I grabbed his shoulder to stop him. He did stop and looked at me. "I'll go after him, if this is indeed the inside of a whale then everything has to connect and go to the same place. If we split up then we can corner him." I said still holding his shoulder.

He gave me a serious face and nodded, then turned as I let go and looked at Donald and Goofy. "Let's split up, come on!" Sora ran through the door that we were intentionally going to go through.

Donald and Goofy ran after him and I looked at Tai, "Well I guess it's you and me again."

She nodded and we ran towards the landing.

۞۞۞۞۞۞۞

"Man he can run fast, either that or he fell in some goopy hole somewhere." I sighed as Tai and I walked around the same place for the fifth time. "I thought that this would all end up in the same place."

"We're lost." Tai said bluntly.

"I know we're lost!" I snapped, "Why else would we be in this place over and over again?"

Tai shrugged, "Maybe were not, and it all looks the same."

I seemed to sink lower, "Then we're even more lost then I thought."

Tai just sighed, "Well let's go this way." She stopped and pointed to the left.

I just shrugged and walked towards where she was pointing. She didn't follow me and when I looked back to ask why I took a step into thin air. I screamed as I fell forwards for several feet and landed on my face. The mushiness of the ground saved my neck but made me nearly puck.

I could hear Tai hold in a laugh, _'Well at least I know she has a since of humor.'_ I thought to myself as I removed my face from the ground. I sat on my foot and looked up, "Thanks for the warning!"

Tai jumped down and landed on her feet, "At least we know that we haven't been this way. Otherwise you would have known about the drop."

"It was something to be informed of _before _I walked over it." I sneered.

She just smiled, and then looked around.

"Were now Sherlock?" I asked.

She gave me a wired look.

"Never mind…" I stood up. "Lets try this way." I said just walking to the left, then fell again, only farther. "YOU _COULD_ HAVE TOLD ME **NO**!" I yelled from the bottom.

۞۞۞۞۞۞۞

After about three more of those and the feeling just short of a broken nose, we found out that there was a large canyon type thing inside of this whale. That had one doorway leading out, and since I didn't feel like trying to climb up I just walked onward. Making sure that Tai was in front of me from now on.

On the other side of the doorway, there was a small room with what looked like a place for another hole in the middle of the floor. Only it was closed and didn't seem like it would open just by mere weight. Tai stopped right in front of the hole and looked at it. I went around her to look at the room. It was different from the others; it was pink in color with no dots on the walls. It was _way_ more soft then the others too. I tried not to think the worst about where we could be, I didn't really want to know.

After holding down what ever was in my stomach, I turned to look at Tai, who was still looking at the 'hole' in the floor. Walking over to her, I felt something strange coming, like it was familiar but I've never felt it before. I stopped and put my hand to my forehead. I felt dizzy, and then my legs seemed to disappear from feeling. I started to fall backwards and everything seemed to swirl around me. Tai looked back at me; she seemed to say something then jumped up. As I fell backwards everything went dark and the feeling of falling was still there.

۞۞۞۞۞۞۞

"Kyde? Kyde?" a voice called my name. "KYDE?"

I opened my eyes. Everything was dark and swirling about. It made me feel sicker, and the voice that was calling me stopped. Sitting up I saw Riku standing right in front of me, "Riku?"

"What are you doing?! You're not supposed to be here! Why are you with Sora?" he seemed both mad and confused, which seemed to make him even more mad.

"Then dare tell where am I 'supposed' to be." I said sarcastically.

He said nothing and just looked at me, then turned around.

"What's wrong Riku? Why did you bring me here? And _how_ did you bring me here."

"I used the power of the Darkness," he turned to face me, "I'm not scared of it."

"Why?" I started to stand. "Why are you being like this?"

Riku walked over to me and grabbed my arm, jerking me up. "Why are you being like _this_?"

I pulled my arm away. He grabbed my hand and held it tight. I looked at him, into his eyes. He's different, but how? Why? What happened to the Riku I knew before? The one I liked? The one that promised me a fight…

"I thought you were in the Darkness like me. Why did you get with Sora? How did you get with Sora?" he was serious.

"I've never been in…" I paused.

_"That dream Kyde, remember that dream you had on that planet with Tai. What happened in that dream?" _

_'Your back?' _I thought to myself. "I was in the Darkness?" I looked away from Riku.

"Come with me."

I pulled my hand away. "Why don't you come with me?!"

He just shook his head and started to disappear into the Darkness.

"Riku!" and like that he was gone and I was back in the whale.

"Riku?" Tai said looking at me.

I was on the ground again, "I'm so sick of this…"

"You are? I'm sick of waiting for you to wake up."

I sat up and sighed.

"What happens when you do that?"

"If it was simple enough to tell you then I would have already."

"Try me."

I looked up. "It seems I have these dreams that are either real or I'm passing out just because of it." I grimaced, "Let's just get out of here. I thing my pants are getting wet from sitting here." I made a gross sound as I moved around.

Tai smiled at this and stood up herself, "That makes two of us."

I stood up next to her, "So…"

"I think that if we jump high enough and hard enough we can get that thing to open." Tai said walking onto the closed up hole in the middle of the room.

"What makes you think that I want to know where that leads?"

"There's only this way or the long climb up the other way."

I thought for a moment, "Now, what do you want me to do?"

"Help me jump."

I shrugged and walked onto the hole.

"On three, one, two… three!" Tai jumped up.

I jumped and we landed at the same time. It barely moved, "That didn't do much."

"I can see that." Tai growled. "Hold your hands out and together."

"You mean like this?" I put my hands together and held them out.

Tai jumped on my hands and then jumped higher, doing a flip.

"Oh shit…" my eyes grew big.

Tai came down hard but on her feet.

The hole shivered and started to wiggle. After that it opened wide and we both went down its deep, damp, gross, nasty, whatever it was! Landing in something wet.

"Kyde? Tai?" Sora's voice came after my head popped up out of the 'water'.

I looked, "That has to be the most disgusting thing I have _ever _done." I moaned.

Tai popped up, "I've been violated…"

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Shuddup." she splashed me.

I splashed back, we started a war.

"Guys!" Sora yelled right next to us.

**"WHAT?" **We both yelled, and had each others arms.

"We found a way out." he smiled.

We both looked at each other then him again, "How?" Tai asked.

"He's going to sneeze us out." Sora smiled bigger.

"I think your ideas suck." I growled.

"It was Pinocchio's." Sora admitted.

"It still sucks."

"Com'on. It's ready." Donald yelled from where the others were.

"We're back in the mouth…" Tai moaned.

"No du…"

Sora helped us up and we walked over to the group. They had built a fire, a smoky one. The smoke rose up and everything started to move.

"Hold onto your hats." Jiminy yelled.

* * *

-Chapter 16 through Chapter 17- I hated this part of the game! It was just wrong! 

**This Chapter has been Edited**


	6. True Memories From the Heart

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof. The song is also not mine.

**Tai:** 35 pages long!!!! evil laugh Is It LONG **ENOUGH?!** -happy dance-

Na na na na

Na na

Na na

Can't Touch This! XD

* * *

Chapter 5:

True Memories from the Heart

"Take my hand." A voice said.

I opened my eyes, everything was dark or I was blind. Only I couldn't be, I could see a person above me. Standing right there, in a black coat, hood up, and a hand out to me. His voice was kind, and warm, there was no reason _not _to take his hand.

"Take it." Was that a demand? It didn't sound like one.

I reached up my hand and placed it in his. He pulled me up and embraced me, he was so warm. I didn't realize I was cold when the feeling started to come back to me. It made me feel good, and safe. How could someone be so warm?

I closed my eyes, and let my arms hang. I could feel myself falling but I didn't dare open my eyes. I'm that afraid of heights… Now I grabbed the mans sides, well it was almost like hugging, but that was not the case!

I felt the ground come to my feet and then I could tell there was light, and not just a room of the dark. I opened my eyes and winced, the whole place was bright! The walls where white, the floor was white, I didn't look up but I could only guess it was white. I then looked at the man, who I was still holding, then slowly moved my eyes up. His hood was still on and he wasn't holding me anymore. Trying not to blush I jumped back and looked around. This place looked familiar, and I didn't like it.

"Where is this?" I asked not looking at him.

By his pause I could tell he was thinking of what to say, "Some place safe."

"Blunt," I looked at him with one eyebrow raised, "now tell me why it's so 'safe'."

He just sighed and shook his head, "Because no one will know the difference once we're done." His voice was familiar too.

"Done with what?" I didn't like where this was going, and just a few seconds ago I was… holding the guy. I slapped myself on the inside.

_'Do what he says.'_

"I thought you left!" I yelled. Then realizing I said that aloud I did blush.

_'Nice one, just do it.'_

_'And why should I?'_

"I want to help." The man said.

I looked back at him, looked him over. Even though I couldn't see his face and under that coat he was Heavenly!! Wait… why was this so much like de ja vu? "And why would you want to help me? I don't know you, and I don't think you even know who I am."

"Kyde, Kyde Drakes. Full name Kyde Xyked Drakes. From Earth."

"Ok how did you do that?" He just freaked the Hell outa' me! I never told anyone anything and made it a point not to, also how did he know about my favorite nickname? It was indeed Kyde, but I never said my middle name.

"Like I said, I want to help." He held out his hand again.

_'If he does something funny…' _

_'He won't, just do it. I'll leave if you do.' _

_'Good enough for me!'_ I walked up to him. "You never told me your name."

He reached down and grabbed my hand, "You'll remember." He started to run off.

Trying to keep up I didn't have time to say anything. Like 'Remember what?' or 'Give me your damn name!'



He went on, and on, and on. Stopping here, then running, stopping again. I couldn't figure this guy out, why was he doing this? What _was _he doing? Or why was he so warm!? Wait that one guy, from before.

_'He hugged me, and he was warm…' _I started to think.

Finally stopping at a corner, I tried to catch my breath. He was taller then me and ran faster because of it. I would have been better off to just let him drag me. He looked around the corner then at me. He walked around the corner and there stood a girl in the same coat as the guy. Only her hood was down and she was facing the other way. Her hair was silver, and unlike the guy her gloves where fingerless.

_"So you got me." _The girl said turning around.

My heart stopped and time seemed to follow suit. That time, with Tai on that Dead World, when I passed out I was brought to a place similar to this. Those not so distant memories came flashing by, and during that time when I wanted to look in the mirror I had woke up. I didn't understand anything that was going on. Was I looking at me?

_"That's right Kyde, we finally meet. Or shall I say we finally found each other again." _The girl said, I couldn't tell if she was smiling or what.

"Just don't break yourself." The guy said releasing my hand and walking off, "I'm going to stand watch."

The girl nodded, but didn't take her eyes off me.

"What's going on here?!" I sounded mad, but was I really scared? I don't know.

_"You'll understand, remember? I told you he was trying to help." _

Something clicked inside my head, "You?"

She nodded, _"Here I'm Xyked or Xykx, whichever the others want to call me. You're Kyde Drakes, when you passed from Earth to here you became us."_

"I don't get anything that you're trying to say." When in fact I did, but my head just couldn't grasp it.

She stepped to the side, _"You see here, on the floor, I've been making this place just for us."_

There was a sign on the floor that looked as if it was engraved into the stone. From what I had learned, I could tell it wasn't a Heartless sign but very similar to it. On it were wings that didn't seem to be connected, and it was huge, surrounding the whole floor of the room.

"What is it?"

_"With this we can finally be one." _She motioned from me to move and stand beside her.

Slowly I walked over to her, and stood where she had pointed. I looked up at her; she was now facing me. "Now what?"

She held out her hands, and just going with it I grabbed them. The markings on the floor started to glow and wind seemed to come up from it. Mixtures of purple, silver, and black swirled around us and the markings on the floor rose up. Combining in to a large ball it surrounded us, and we were engulfed by it. I couldn't see Xyked and finally it got so intense I had to close my eyes. After I did I started to feel her hands slipping away, and then they were gone.

I fell to my knees and I started to feel pain, massive pain, in my head, my back, and my chest. My head was filled with incoming 'memories', and they just flew by but I understood them. It felt like my head was going to burst! My back felt like a piece of it was being ripped off from my body but was still attached. The torn off part stretched and it burned immensely. And my chest was on fire, I could hardly breathe. I was going though a nightmare that never seemed to stop.

After my whole body started to feel as if it was in cold fire it stopped. I raised my head and looked up, my vision was blurred and I could feel it fading. I started to fall forwards, but I could hear foot steps running toward me. Someone caught me, his warmth flowed through me. He rolled me onto my back, and I opened my eyes, the man's hood was off and I could just barley see his face before my eyes grew too heavy. I rolled my head over toward him, and I could feel him embrace me. I tried to speak, but all I was able to do was say one word.

"Axel…"



Apparently I have some explaining to do, and now that I get what was going on it'll be a lot easier. Xyked was my 'Nobody', the half of me with no heart. Every Nobody doesn't have a heart which means no emotion, no feelings, nothing. Nobody's are what happen when a person with a strong heart are turned into a Heartless. I didn't know a person could be turned into one until now but I didn't know a lot of things.

Axel is Number 8 in the Organization, oh ya. The Nobodys made a group called 'Organization 13', currently there are 13 counting myself. I am Number 0, in other words the leader. Anyways Axel is the only one who knows about what happened, him and Demyx anyways. When Demyx found out Xyked threatened him with his life, he won't tell. Demyx is number 9, he, Axel, and I are what you would call friends. As far as Nobody's go anyways.

Onward, Xyked had told Number 1 that she would be gone for a while and to do what he wants. So she was able to combine with me and I could travel without having to worry about them, or them looking for me. Only Axel and Demyx would know where I would be, if I wanted them to. I would use the power of Darkness to communicate with them, but since I'm partially knew to this I hadn't gotten a hold of my powers yet. In other words… not a good idea yet.

That's all I can say for now other then the last part… I only have half a heart, and part of that is fake.

Anyways after we combined Axel took me to my room, the same place that I went when I passed out that time with Tai, the first time. He said I had slept for a while, about 2 in-a-half days. He informed me of things I needed to know. Like not telling Sora or the others, that was a no brainier anyways. He also helped me get down the basics for teleporting and that. He said that until I get the hang of it again to contact him only in emergencies, and he would do the same.

After about two weeks or so of 'retraining' Axel thought I was good enough to stand on my own. I could open portals and that, but the rest would take time and practice. Not like I would be able to with Sora and them around, but I'll try to fit it in.

"You sure you want to leave?" Axel asked me from behind. He was sitting on my bed.

I nodded, "It's been almost three weeks. If I don't show up they'll think I'm dead." I took off my black coat and hung it in the small closet I had.

"Let them."

I turned to look at Axel, "I have to. Besides if I don't the Organization will start to come look for you and find both of us." I walked in front of him, "I'll be fine Flurry of the Dancing Flames."

He smirked.

"Now get back to the group and make sure Demyx stays in line for me. We can't have him going to Atlantica again. Sora will _surely_ find him next time." I waved my hand in a complaining motion.

Axel winced at the thought of so much water; Demyx would surly win a battle there. Fire x Axel + A hell of a lot of water x Demyx a really bad day for those in the Organization.

"Ok, I'm going now." I said, turning around and opening a portal.

Axel grabbed my arm.

I turned to look.

"Wait."

I looked at him, not moving.

He stood up from sitting on my bed.

"What?" I managed to say.

He paused, then pulled me close. Not saying a word he hugged me. I hugged him back, after a while he let go and I turned and walked into my own portal, closing it behind me.

Because I have somewhat of a heart I ended up giving a piece of it to Axel… ok a big piece. Since he didn't have a heart he, unknowingly, made it his own. That's how we were connected.



I didn't have any idea where to start looking for Sora and them, so I just wandered around in the Darkness. Now it's not so difficult for me to understand why the Heartless like it, it's empty. The quietness and the stillness was just so peaceful, or maybe I thought that because I was part of it now. Either way, I would have to get out of it and find Sora.

_'Some _Protector _I am.' _I thought.

I stopped, I heard something. I didn't 'think' I heard something, I knew I heard something. Being so strong in the Darkness it was something I could tell somehow. I looked around, it all looked the same, but the footsteps kept coming. I started to run toward the sound, and before long I got to a portal. Not like one of mine or anything from a Nobody. It was full of light, but I was sure the sounds were coming from this. Without hesitation I walked through and wasn't greeted like a welcomed guest.

"What do we have here?" a woman said from behind. I guess the portal had just closed as soon as I came through.

"Looks like a stowaway." A man said from beside me.

"Looks like he had a follower." The woman said.

I turned around and ended up blocking an attack from a staff. With both hands up across me I held it up, "So not what I wanted to do today." I sighed.

"Wait Maleficient, don't you feel that?" the man said.

"Why yes, she is just filled with the power of Darkness. Interesting…"

I grabbed her staff and tossed it aside.

"What are you?" she summoned her staff and walking closer, she bent down to my level. I don't like to feel short…

I just kept quiet.

"Let me have a look at her." The man said, twisting his wrist causing his hook to turn.

"Now Hook, don't do anything to her. She could be useful. Much more than that boy Riku." She said.

Ok that clicked, I grabbed her collar, "Where's Riku? What did you do with him?!"

She swatted my hand away and attempted to hit me with her staff again. Before she could, I called my KeyBlade and blocked with one hand.

"A KeyBlade, even more interesting."

"Stop acting like I'm your science experiment. Now where is he?!"

She removed her staff and turned around, "He's here somewhere. Hook, let her be for now." She laughed and disappeared into a portal, also not like my own.

"Come back here you hag!" He yelled. Knowing it was no use I turned to look at Hook, "I guess you're the one who's going to tell me."

"Now, now missy, this is my ship and you're going to listen to my orders if you want to see Riku. Besides what is he to you?"

"A friend, and that's all you need to know." I said looking around, "We're out on the ocean?" I swallowed hard. I hated the water.

"Of course we are! Captain Hook is the Captain of the Seas of Neverland!"

"Stop your bragging and get to the point." I stopped when I heard noise coming from outside, I was guessing it was the deck.

"Ahhh, my guests have arrived. Now are you coming or not?" I pointed his hook at me.

"Whatever." I sighed and followed behind him out the door.

There were Heartless all over the ship but they weren't attacking anyone. The just stood there waiting for a command, a lot like the lesser Nobody's without human bodies. I didn't know how to call them yet; well I did but couldn't yet, so using them to fight was out.

Hook stepped up to the railing where there was a bunch of Heartless. I put up my hood just in case and walked forward. I ended up walking up right next to Riku! I held my breath and just listened.

"I didn't think you'd come, Sora." Riku said.

I could hear a gasp, _'Sora!' _I thought.

"Good to see you again." Riku continued.

"W-where are Donald and Goofy?" that was definitely Sora…

"Are they that important to you? More important then old friends? Instead of worrying about them you should be asking, about her."

"Kairi!" Sora yelled.

_'Kairi! I almost forgot about her… ok I did forget about her.' _I thought.

"That's right. While you were off goofing around, I finally found her."

I could hear the appearing of a KeyBlade.

"Not so fast! There will be no shenanigans aboard my vessel, boy."

Heartless surrounded Sora along with Hook, how he got down there so fast I'll never know. "Riku, why are you siding with the Heartless?"

"The Heartless obey me now, Sora. Now I have nothing to fear."

_'Has Riku really gotten that stupid?'_ I thought._ 'The Heartless only obey those that are stronger, that's not that grand…' _I sighed, and then covered my mouth.

"You're stupid! Sooner or later, they'll swallow your heart." Sora yelled.

"He has a point." I said through my hands. _'Why can't I just shuddup?!'_

"Not a chance. My Heart's too strong."

_'Don't say it Kyde, don't say it!'_

"Riku…"

"I've picked up a few other tricks as well. Like this, for instance." Riku held up his hand and a shadow shaped just like Sora came up from the ground. It was black like a Shadow Heartless, and had yellow eyes. It was a Heartless shaped as Sora, nothing more.

_'He thinks he's so strong now… DON'T SAY IT!!' _I yelled in my head.

Riku turned around, not seeing me or even sensing me for that matter, "You can go see your friends now."

The floor opened up underneath Sora and he fell, a trap door.

Riku turned back around. "Let's get underway, already. And keep Sora away from Kairi until were ready to land." Riku turned around and walked away.

_'Is he that out of it? Or did he know who I was?' _I stayed and listened for a moment.

"That scurvy brat thinks he can order me around!" Hook said to his first hand man Smee.

"What shall we do, Captain Hook?" Smee asked.

"Nothing!" he yelled. "The hold is crawling with Heartless. Let them keep an eye on the brats."

"But Captain, you-know-who is also down—" Smee started.

"Shh… did you hear that, Smee? Oh, that dreadful sound!" Hook started freaking out.

"No, Captain."

"Are you quite sure? Did I imagine it?" Hook started to shake Smee. "Oh, my poor nerves."

"Calm down Hook," I said removing my hands. "I'll see what his problem is." I turned around and walked back into the room closing the door behind me.

"How close are we Hook?" Riku asked looking over a map on a table.

I walked over to him and stood behind him, smiling.

"Well Hook? Answer—" Riku turned around, "Who are you?!" he backed up to the table.

I grabbed his collar and threw him across the room, into a bed. Before he could get back up I ran to him and held him down with my left hand. I removed my hood, still smiling.

"Kyde?" he gasped.

"Is it really so hard to believe?"

"What's happened to you?"

"You wouldn't want to know, so don't even try to get it out of me."

"You won't be able to beat me Kyde." He said, holding out his hand, and calling a Heartless that looked like me behind me.

I didn't even look.

"A Heartless in the shape of the person you wish, humph. Some power." I smirked.

"Don't underestimate me Kyde!" the Heartless came to attack.

I sighed and quickly held Riku down with my knee and held out my right hand to the Heartless. It started to glow a dark purple and the Heartless exploded. I then lowered my hand and looked back at Riku, "Power? Underestimating? You don't get it at all do you?" I removed my knee.

"How did you do that?!" He stayed down.

"The Darkness is a different place from where you've been. You've been in the light and dark of Dusk, just heading toward the Darkness."

He sat up and then jumped at me.

I called my KeyBlade and blocked using only one hand.

"A KeyBlade!" He was obviously mad.

"That's right, you don't have one. I do give you credit though, Sora never noticed I had one." I threw him back into the wall again. "Just promise me something Riku."

He winced and sat up on one arm.

"Don't sell your soul to the Darkness, and don't tell anyone about this." I made my KeyBlade disappear.

"Why? Why are you doing this?!"

"Why are you doing what you're doing?"

He didn't reply.

"Now if you don't mind I'm going to go find someone."

"So your on Sora's side?" I was standing by now.

I stopped, "I am the Protector, to protect is my _'job'_. To love and be loved, but no I'm not looking for Sora."

"The Protector? You?" he must have known what that was.

"I'm looking for a friend, her name is Tai." I turned to smile at him. "I still like you Riku, but I don't like what you've gotten yourself into. Just don't forget our promise."

This threw him off and he just stared at me.

"I may be a Master of Darkness and all these other things, but I'm still me. So if you need me don't be afraid to call me." I opened a portal and started to walk through. "Don't do anything 'stupid'."



I opened the portal right outside a door that I hoped was the place that Sora was being held. I'm not a big fan of water and the feeling of swaying on a ship was not my favorite. It made my senses go out of whack and the portals were getting hard, but I made sure to close it before anyone saw me.

Grabbing onto the door handle I twisted and opened it slightly. The room was empty all for a few crates. I walked in and looked around, there was an opening in the ceiling where Sora fell through, I was sure of it, but where was he? I turned toward the door only to have it slam in my face. The ship hadn't swayed in that direction so that wasn't it, someone shut it. I grasped the handle and tried to turn it. It was locked from the other side, or someone had used magic to keep it closed. I pulled hard thinking that if it was just locked it would bust loose. This ship couldn't be that strong, but it didn't budge.

I let go, "What is it you want?"

"Just one question." It was a woman.

"Then ask it, you didn't need to lock me in here Tai."

Tai jumped to the floor right behind me.

I turned to face her, sure enough it was Tai.

Her face changed. "Kyde?" she grabbed my arm. "Where have you been? What happened to you? Answer me!"

"I was on vacation."

"That's not funny."

"What's not funny?"

"You've been gone for almost a whole month."

"No I haven't."

"Close enough."

"So how is it funny? Or no funny?"

"You're different and I know you weren't just on 'vacation.' What happened after the whale?"

"Well," I scratched my head, "I was floating around in who-knows-what then next thing I know I'm on this world."

She glared at me. "The truth."

My eyes grew cold. "You wouldn't understand the truth."

"Try me."

"Then tell me your story. I can tell that you've been hurt and that's not all. Your not just you."

She let go of my arm, "How would you know that?"

"The way your eyes change from time to time, the way to wince in pain when you call you're KeyBlade, if you ever do. The way you hide things and won't tell the whole story."

"Alright!" she yelled. Her fists were clenched and she was mad.

"If you want to know about me then we both have to be honest with each other."

"Honest?" she smiled.

"Ya you know that thing that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside."

"'Warm fuzzy feeling?'" she looked up at me. "Then I guess it'll have to wait."

"I guess it will, but just so you know" I started then gave her a thumbs up, "you're still my best friend."

"You haven't even known me for that long and you call me your 'best' friend?" she gave me a strange look, most likely from the thumbs up.

"Compared to what I've had in the past, ya." I smiled.

Her fist let out and she gave me a smile, I think it was a smile. Actually it was more like 'just try and do that again' smile, why I got that feeling I don't know.

"So… What did I miss?"



Apparently I both missed a lot and very little. The gang had found each other and went to search for me. In that aspect I didn't miss very much. Although they did got to the world of Atlantica and Halloween Town. They fought the evils from those worlds such as Ursula and Oogie Boogie. Frankly I'm glad I missed out on that. I loved to swim but having a tail and shells or something to cover me wasn't my favorite idea, then there was the fact of looking like a total freak from a trashed party.

Anyways Sora, Donald, and Goofy went off to look for Kairi. Tai stayed here, for a reason she wouldn't tell. They also met up with the famous Peter Pan and he was with Sora.

"Sounds like I missed quite the party." I said with sarcasm.

"The biggest." Tai also said with sarcasm.

"So what do we do?"

"Well you're the Protector you decide."

"To Sora it is!" I said marching toward the door then stopped, "You mind? It's still locked with… whatever you did."



"I thought you said that they were here."

"Well maybe they went topside."

"You know how much I'm loving this?" Again, sarcasm.

"Just hurry up and climb." Tai pushed my up the latter.

After getting up the latter there were more doors, "Pick a door."

She got close to one and put her ear to it, "There are voices coming from this one."

"Let's see what's behind door number one!" I said grabbing the handle.

Tai backed up, "I don't think-"

I swung open the door. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Peter Pan were all staring in my direction. "What?"

Tai just sighed and walked past me. "Found her."

"Her? Oh Kyde!" Sora smiled. "Come look! It's Kairi!"

I walking up to him. "Where?"

He pointed up to a mesh in the ceiling that led to a new room. Kairi was sitting there.

"Kairi!" I yelled. "Why isn't she responding?" I reached up, then I felt it… an empty shell. A lot like a Nobody but different, her heart was gone but she was still there. I retracted my hand, but that didn't stop Sora.

He called her name and reached up, and then her hand flinched. Sora's face brightened up.

_'What? How could she move? She's empty.'_ I thought.

There was banging coming from the room above, then Kairi was dragged away by someone we couldn't see. Peter Pan was calling for Wendy and Sora was calling for Kairi.

"Let's get up there!" Peter said.

Sora nodded and looked at me.

"I know, let's get going." I smiled and jumped up to a shelf. "This mesh has a hole in it. If were lucky it'll lead us to the same place that Kairi and Wendy just were."

"And if we get there we can find out where they were taken." Tai finished.

"Right!" I said jumping through the hole. "Now let's move it!"



The next floor was just as annoying as the last and the one before that. I really didn't like this ship. Then the swaying factor came back, if I didn't get off this boat soon I was going to loose it!

Once we finished bursting through doors, we found a ladder to another level. The opening at the top was very small and you could just barely see the room above, but I could tell it was the Captains Quarters, where I had first appeared.

Sora with his monkey-like reflexes was up the ladder first, followed by me. After Sora got off the latter he ran to the other side of the room.

"Riku, wait!" he yelled.

I ran up behind him, Riku was at the door holding Kairi. "Riku!"

Riku backed up toward the door, and the same Heartless that looked like Sora jumped up in front of him. Letting him get out the door.

"Riku!" Sora started to run toward the door.

I grabbed Sora, "You deal with this, and I'll go after Riku!" I ran past him and jumped over the Heartless. I swung open the door and Tai ran past me.

"You didn't think I would let you do this alone did you?" she stopped behind me.

I smirked and quickly shut the door, then looked toward the deck. Riku was opening a portal, "Get him!" I jumped down.

Tai followed me, kicking at the Heartless that started to surround us.

Riku was almost through.

I jumped for him and slammed against the floor, but managed to grab his leg. I was being sucked in or he was suddenly very strong. "Tai!"

Tai grabbed my waist and pulled, "What do you have a hold of?"

"I'm hoping its Riku!"

"Well then he's single-handedly pulling both of us in."

"Will you shut up and pull."

"Why don't you let go!"

By now my head was almost in, "This isn't good."

Tai lost her footing as a Heartless attacked at her right side, and sent us flying into the portal.



I opened my eyes; I was looking at a tall ceiling with a floating platform in the middle. The room was silent and I didn't like it. Sitting up I could feel my back pop, it may have felt good but I knew I would feel that later on.

"So you've awakened." It was that old woman's voice… Maleficient.

"If you were so concerned you could have made sure I landed in something soft. Now tell me what you want." I looked around, "Make that where is Tai and Riku." Besides me and Maleficient there was nothing else in the room.

"They aren't any of your concern at the moment. You should be more worried about yourself."

I stood, "And why is that? You going to give me a good spanking?"

"Your mouth is going to get you in a lot of trouble, girl."

"That's Kyde to you Grandma; now tell me what's going on here."

She smiled and raised her staff and moved it forward as she started to walk. "I would like you to join me."

"Now why would I do that?"

"Because I can see the pain in your heart, and the fact that there's only half a heart there. Also that the heart you have is fake, all but one fragment."

"How would you come about this knowledge?" I didn't like the way she knew these things. The only one who knew that was Axel and me, but it was clear that she had never seen the Organization or else she would know what and why I am the way I am.

"I can see into you and through you. Your thoughts, your dreams, your every emotion." She was right in front of me now.

"Some magic you've got if you can do that."

"Yes, my magic is very powerful and can indeed do what I please."

"Still I'm not joining you."

"Well then you leave me no choice."

"Choice?"

She held up her staff and dark energy started to form around it. I jumped back but she grabbed my collar and pulled me forward. The last thing I saw was her staff glowing in my face…



_**"Elizabeth? ELIZABETH?!"**__ a voice screamed into my ear._

_I jerked up in my seat, __**"What?!" **__I stared straight at Kelsey._

_**"You're going to get in trouble if you don't get that paper done, and you know you need it."**_

_**"Shuddup Kelsey." **__I slouched back into my chair, it's not like I was stupid. I just didn't like doing it._

_**"Again, Welcome to Kelsey's tutoring service."**_

_"__**As if your demon mother would allow that."**__ Her mother was really a demon, or at least that's what we called her. She was crazy, never letting Kelsey go anywhere and stuff like that. She thought I was a bad example. Please. I haven't done anything bad in my whole life._

_"__**There's always a chance."**_

_The lunch bell rang._

_**"Food!"**__ I jumped out of my seat, grabbed my bag, and swerved past all the kids. Then down the hall, down the stairs, and to my locker. Turning the combination, I could hear Shonna coming._

_**"InuYasha!" **__she yelled and hugged me._

_**"Don't you have a boyfriend?"**__ I said shoving her off me. __**"You know like that Shippo? Eh, Sesshomaru?"**_

_**"He won't mind."**_

_I got her hooked in the anime 'InuYasha,' and ever since, I can't seem to get her mind on anything else. Her locker was also next to mine so I could never get away from her either. Opening my locker, I shoved in my bag and grabbed my lunch pail, eating at the school was literal suicide. After waiting for Shonna, we walked down the hall to the lunch room-lobby-commons._

_Tossing my lunch pail onto the small blue round table I noticed the others' bags. Kelsey's bag, most likely brought down by someone, then Patrick's who was gay, and everyone else that I didn't like and didn't like me. Why I sat here I never did know, it was just a place to sit._

_Shonna walked off toward the lunch line as I sat down. Another day at Hell._

_**"Hey Elizabeth!"**__ Kelsey yelled walking up._

_**"Must you be so loud?"**_

_**"It's my job."**_

_**"Funny."**__ I bit into my PB&J Sandwich._

_Kelsey sat down, "__**You're still wearing that jacket?"**_

_She was referring to the one that had InuYasha on the back. __**"Yup."**_

_"__**Don't you ever shower?"**_

_I put down my sandwich, __**"Just because I like to wear something doesn't mean that I don't have any hygiene."**_

_**"But you wear it everyday!"**_

_**"I like it."**_

_**"Are you even wearing a shirt under it?"**_

_**"Of coarse she is, Kelsey."**__ Patrick sat down. "__**That's my job."**_

_**"What is with all of you and your 'jobs'?"**_

_**"Nothing, your job is to be a sick loser."**_

_I didn't say a word. Ever since her parents started the divorce she's been using me as a whipping boy. Always making fun of me, and my health._

_**"By the wa,y I got that new Manga." **__She pulled it out of her bag._

_I grabbed it out of her hand, __**"Sweet!"**_

_**"You're obsessed."**__ She said taking it back._

_**"It's a hobby, and you're the one who bought it."**_

_**"You're the one goo-gooing all over it."**_

_**"I'm sure you did after you bought it."**__ I just ignored her and finished my sandwich, by now she had the whole school's attention, and I didn't like to be that kind of item._

_Everyday it was the same thing, 'you're obsessed Elizabeth.', 'You're actually at school today!', 'She lives!', 'See there are good things that come with being a sick loser.' I had a heart problem so I often didn't make it to school and those that called themselves my friends never came for me._

_When you make friends you give them a piece of your heart, and if they are a true friend they will give you a piece of theirs. If they are not your friend, they will break that piece you gave them and it's lost. That is what happened to me, to my heart._

_I thought my friends would always be there for me like I was for them, but when the time came they weren't. I ended up getting hurt and needing surgery, and then for three months in bed none came. Even my evil cousin came to see me. But not my friends! I was so mad for those three months, then Christmas Vacation came and still no one._

_Kelsey had come for Halloween, only to brag about all the candy she got, but those three months changed my life. We found out about my heart problem and that I died in the surgery room. Ever since my life has gone down the toilet, my 'friends', my grades, my parents fought, my sister was always in trouble, my brother wouldn't get his own place to live, everything was going with my down spiral._

_But I wasn't depressed, I don't know why. I somehow knew that my friends would do this, and my brother would never leave, my sister was always in trouble to begin with, and my parents were always at it. Some life right? Now after all that my friends act like nothing ever happened and they make fun of me, mock me and everything in the book._

_Why was I treated like that? _

_Why was I cast away? _

_Why wasn't anyone there for me besides my mom? _

_Why was I so weak? _

_Why?_

_To love and be loved, I wanted to protect and that was all. In any way that I could, but in the end it was never returned to me. When I was there for others they were never there for me. I waited and nothing came, I called and no one answered, I talked and they walked away._



_'Where am I?_' my thoughts echoed around me. _'Why am I remembering this? All these things? The things that make me so sad, and lonely, why am I always alone?'_

"You see child, everyone has left you."

_'That voice…'_

"Everyone you care for has left you."

_**"Mother! I'm home! And I got those new books before Kelsey could."**__ I smiled as I walked through the door to my home. __**"Mother?"**_

_**"Elizabeth."**__ A weak voice said from the couch in the living room._

_I shut the door, __**"Mom? Are you ok? Mom?!" **__I dropped my books and ran to the couch. __**"Mom what's wrong?"**_

_She was laying on the couch again, flushed, and obviously in a lot of pain. __**"I had another stroke in the kitchen."**_

_**"Well where is everyone?"**__ I knelt down._

_"__**Your Dad took Rachel four wheeling and Tom's at work."**__ She could hardly speak._

_**"How did you get on the couch without any help?" **__I put my hand on her arm. I could tell that her muscles had tightened up again, she had Dystonia…_

_**"It took me a while…"**_

_**"Why didn't you call?!"**__ I was trying hard not to cry._

_**"When I fell, I lost feeling in my fingers and couldn't push the buttons on the phone."**_

_**"Is there anything I can do?"**_

_**"A cold washcloth."**_

_I nodded and ran to the bathroom. I spent the rest of the day helping my mother. This didn't happen often enough to worry about it that much, that's why it was ok to leave her home alone, but today wasn't one of those days._

_My mother was 53-years-old and had a very rare disease including the also very rare Dystonia. I couldn't say the name of it to save my life… or hers. Along with my heart condition, it was very stressful on my mother and we were both often very sick. Today I felt good enough to go the library, but that was rare. During the summer I didn't have to worry about school but I did worry about my mother weather there was school or not._

_I wanted to cry so much so many times, but my tears had dried up, and when I did cry I couldn't stop for the whole day. My mother could die any day, and the doctor said that they could only treat the pain and try to stop the occurrences from happening so much._

_Then there was my father, who couldn't handle having a 'sick family' and often grew mad when we, my mother and I, didn't feel like we could go anywhere. This added to his anger problems was what made our house so tight. He wanted me to get out of the house and do things with my friends, but what he doesn't get is the fact that I didn't have any. I told Kelsey off via text message, which wasn't as satisfactory as doing face to face, and all my old 'friends' didn't talk to me anymore._

_Shonna had moved to California, Kelsey's parents were finally divorced, Patrick was officially gay and finally moved away from being my next door neighbor, the foreign exchange student went back home, and the others didn't care enough to know if I was breathing or cold in the ground._

I was near tears, I hurt so badly, and it wasn't physical.

"You see, even your mother will leave you soon, and you left her."

_'No I didn't. This wasn't my fault. She would be happy for me.'_ I clenched my teeth.

"Happy about what?" the voice laughed.

_'I'm not weak anymore, I can run and fight.'_ The tears started to roll down my face and I couldn't stop. _'I have friends.' _I couldn't open my eyes.

"Then where are they?"

_'Just because they aren't hear doesn't mean they don't care.'_

"Are you sure? You're in so much pain, and they aren't anywhere to be seen. How can they call themselves your friends?"

I just cried, _'How did I end up like this? Why is it me that's alone?'_

"You're not alone, Kyde."

_'That voice!'_

"What?!" the voice from before yelled.

The new voice grew closer, "I'm with you, and so is everyone else."

_'Who?'_ I asked not believing.

"All of us, everyone that you've touched." The voice was male, and heavenly.

'Everyone… I've touched?'

"Get out of here!" the other voice yelled.

I felt something grab me and squeeze.

"Kyde!" the voice started to fade.

My body felt like it was going to burst, like cold fire. Everything stung and it only grew more intense.

_**"Will you stop singing already**__?" one of the girls said._

_**"Ya, it's annoying**__." Another spoke._

_I closed my mouth, I loved to sing, but no one ever liked it._

_**"Thank you! Your much to squeaky!"**_

_**"Got that right!"**__ everyone started to laugh._

_It was my dream to sing, to dance, to have people look at me and see me. Nothing else, just me. I couldn't write songs, but I could sing those that were already made. I thought I was good and my mother always approved of my voice. Sometimes I wondered if she just said that because she was my mother._

_**"Why don't you just stick to your drawings?"**_

_**"Not like they're any good anyways."**__ They continued to laugh._

_I clenched my fist in my hoody pocket, so they wouldn't see._

_**"By the way, how's that book coming?"**__ the laughing never stopped._

_They enjoyed to torment me, it was like their hobby.  
_

_**"I can't sing mom."**_

_**"What are you talking about? You have a wonderful voice."**_

_**"No one likes to hear me sing."**_

_**"That's not true, I love to listen to you sing."**_

_**"I don't want to let you down…"**_

_**"You never let me down. Your talent in art and writing is wonderful and you do have a talent in singing. Just believe you do."**_

_Mother, you never let me put myself down. You always lifted me up, telling me I could be what I wanted to be. When I sang I felt free, when I drew I let out what I saw inside myself, and when I write it tells the stories of my soul._

_I may not of had any friends but my mother was all I had, my little sister always had friends, my brother was too 'old' to hang with me. My oldest brother and sister were off and living their own lives. My father never understood me and always got mad. Mother, how could you have so much faith in me?_

The tears started to make my eyes burn.

'_I promise you mom, I won't let you down.'_

Music started to play around me.

"What's this? What's going on!" the voice screamed.

I opened my mouth, feelings soared through me. I couldn't open my eyes, but my soul seemed to see for me, and I started to sing.

"Let's conquer the fears,

Take every chance,

Hold back the tears,

What we wana' be we'll be,

We're gona' make it through,

Out of our heads,

Into our hearts,

Close to the edge,

Ready to start,

And it's so good!

Dancing on the air it feels so good,

Nothing can compare,

Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,

Like a spotlight we're coming through,

It feels so good!

Shining here in front of you…"

_'I'm singing mom, I'm singing!' _I felt a sensation in my hand, my KeyBlade was appearing.

"Out of our heads,

Into our hearts,

Close to the edge,

Ready to start,

And it's so good!

Dancing on the air it feels so good,

Nothing can compare,

Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,

Like a spotlight we're coming through,

It feels so good,

Dancing on the air it feels so good,

Nothing can compare,

Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,

Like a spotlight we're coming through,

It feels so good!

Shining here in front of you,

It feels so good…

Shining here in front of you…

Shining here in front of you…

_'I won't be made fun of anymore._' I grasped my KeyBlade. _'My friends, are there for me, and I'm going to be there for them! To protect, to love and be loved.'_

Dancing on the air,

It feels so good,

Nothing can compare,

Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,

Like a spotlight we're coming through,

It feels so good!

Dancing on the air it feels so good!

Nothing can compare,

Cuz the beat in our hearts is the beat on the charts,

Like a spotlight we're coming through,

It feels so good,

Shining here in front of you…"

I opened my eyes and saw Maleficient shielding herself with her staff in a dark room. "Hand in hand, side by side!" I felt my back burst, and wings appeared. The tears started to stop. "I won't let this go on!" My KeyBlade clashed with her staff.

"You're just a child, what can you do?" she laughed. "You can never leave your past alone, it's always your future!" Her staff started to glow.

"I'm going to make my own future. A future filled with those who care, full of happiness and sorrow, a future that I make…" my KeyBlade started to glow. "Will be a future worth living!" I pushed back and floated in the air. I held my KeyBlade above me, "See the World from Above! Day by Day, Night by Night!" I pointed my blade out in front of me. _**"GAZUTO'!"**_ A mixture of black, silver, and purple light shot toward Maleficient.

She put up her staff to block again, but when the attack hit her everything exploded. The dark room started to fade into the room I was in before, and Maleficient was gone. Slowly touching the ground my wings disappeared along with my KeyBlade. I fell to one knee, breathing heavily. That was the first time I've done that, since I joined with my other half I never tried to get my wings, or anything else that happened that time…

Slowly I rose to my feet, I was still a little shaky but I could handle that. I smiled and wiped my eyes. I felt so happy, a feeling that I hadn't truly felt in a long time. I got the tears out of my eyes and looked forward, I was still alone.

"Tai! Riku! You there?" I yelled, but there was no answer. "I promise, no matter what, I'll protect my friends." I started to run up the stares.



I ran through hallway after hallway, and everything looked the same. Finally I came to a library that had looked like it was it by a bomb! The books were everywhere and shelves were toppled over. Everything was a mess.

"Looks like I missed a party."

I slowly made it over a few shelves to see above everything. The whole room was like this, and even the second floor was trashed. With a hidden doorway open and a closed door not to far away. I made my way up to the second floor and around obstacles to get to the hidden doorway. After that there was a maze of elevators that lead to other elevators. After the massive headache was over I found myself in a room. A dark room with a small hole in the ceiling for light. I heard sounds coming from deeper inside the room, so I ventured in. Turning a corner I saw Riku.

"Riku!" I cried and finished turning the corner, and then she stopped. He had Tai lifted up above the ground. I pointed at him, "What have you done to her?!"

Riku, who was now looking at me, "Giving her a taste of her memories."

"Let her go Riku!"

"What does it matter to you what I do to her?"

"She's my friend!" I jerked back my hand.

"Friend? I thought I was your friend."

"You are!"

"Well she attacked me."

"She doesn't attack anyone without good reason."

"Then why did she attack me?"

"You must have done something to her, now tell me what you did."

"I told you, I gave her a taste of her memories."

I made my KeyBlade appear.

"You're going to attack me to Kyde?"

"I don't want to; I promised to protect my friends."

"All I did was reminder of her memories." He smiled.

"Don't you get it?" I yelled. "Some memories aren't meant to be brought back from the darkness and shown with full effect in the light. We sometimes forget things to protect ourselves and others."

"Memories are no more that things that happened."

"I know you don't believe that! Can't you see that her memories aren't something that want to be awakened? Now let her go!"

He dropped her and backed away. "It's amazing how much you care, for not having a heart."

"What do you mean?"

"Maleficient told me about you. How you don't even have a heart."

"I do to have a heart!" I put my free hand to my chest, "It may not be whole but it's still there."

"Whole? You barely have a fragment."

"That's because of people like you who broke it!"

He didn't seemed hurt from this, was he that far gone? "How could they break your whole heart?"

"I gave my 'friends' parts of my heart and they broke them. Can't you see that when you have friends your heart is more powerful? That's because you exchange pieces of your heart with others, if they are a true friend."

"Don't listen to her child." Maleficient appeared behind him. "She knows nothing about the power of hearts."

"Why don't you come and face me instead of running away! If anyone knows about hearts it _is _me." I removed my hand.

"You attacked her?" Riku asked me.

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't have after she did all she did to me."

"What did she do to you?"

"The same thing your doing to Tai! She roused old memories that weren't meant to see the light ever again. Back home I was made fun of, mocked, teased, everything and she brought those memories back."

Riku looked at Maleficient.

She smirked.

"Riku, what are you trying to do? Why are you being like this?"

He got mad and looked at me, "I'm sick of others being better then me!"

"What?" I was shocked. I thought that Riku of all people wouldn't feel like that.

"Sora has the KeyBlade and so do you and her!" he pointed to Tai. "What do I have?"

"People who care."

He made a ball of dark energy in his hand, "I don't need you!"

A golden light shot at Riku and sent him flying. I looked at Tai, she had her hand pointed at Riku. "Tai!"

I ran to her. When I got to her both Maleficient and Riku disappeared into dark portals.

"I'm going to kill him." Tai muttered under her breath.

I helped her sit up, "You don't need to do that. Just kick his butt hard enough to let him know you want to." I smiled. "You ok?"

"Fine." She growled.

"Sure, now really."

She looked away.

"He made you remember something that you didn't want to remember."

She only nodded.

"Look, I'm not going to ask about what it was. If it was anything close to what I remembered, I'm sure you wouldn't tell me. Besides it's not for me to know, unless you want me to."

She didn't move her stare from the other direction.

"Hey, let's get out of here."

"How?"

"I hate it when you do that." she had a point, we came here by a portal, and I didn't think showing her my 'gift' wasn't the best thing to do at the moment.

"I guess we're stuck here."

"Yup…" I sighed and laid on the floor.

"I lived on a world called Solstlus, in the desert region." she began. "It was hot, compared to most places I've been now, but it rained a lot. Our house and our neighbors lived a little ways off from the main town. Which was good for me since I wasn't incredibly social. I liked to be alone, I liked the rain, and I liked my music. The only real people I could stand were my two friends Kysha, and Matt. There was a lake surrounded on most sides by cliffs, a great place for cliff diving, we went there every once in a while. School was eight months long, vacation was four, lots of time to do things." She took a deep breath, "When I was 15, three years ago, our neighbors changed yet again. I never liked who moved in next door. Usually filthy rich snobs who I enjoyed to bug on a daily basis no matter how much my mother wanted me to be nice. This time though three guys moved in, all basically my age, Tobi, Kyle, and Axel. Tobi was stupid, just downright stupid; I think he lacked most of his brain. Kyle was nice, I never really understood him. Then there was Axel…"

I was shocked when she said Axel, but how could it be the same one? Then again, it was him who told me about Tai…

Tai then laughed slightly, still looking at the ground, "We quickly became friends over the remaining summer months, and he met Kysha to. We hung out a lot more often then I would have ever though was enjoyable, after I got rid of Stella. Stella was one of those people who would use someone and then ditch them without so much as a backward glance; I sort of screwed over her chances with going out with Tobi or Kyle. She didn't have an interest in Axel since he was an oddity. Anyways school started up, Stella's little band of boys came to beat the snot out of me since I had 'hurt' Stella, honestly I thought I was going to have broken bones by the end of it since Stella enjoyed sending them on me for no reason, now that she had one it could only be that much worse right? That didn't happen, I'm sure it would've if Axel hadn't shown up, He dealt with them… brought the severally injured me to Matt's house which was fairly close to the school. I recovered within the week, returned to school, Axel kept to himself for a while afterwards, which I suppose is natural when you become so angry that your body temperature rises high enough to burn someone's skin but not your own. Eventually when nothing else like that happened he to got better... The second semester started, life went on. Summer came again..."

_'So she helped him gain his powers, he never told me this…'_

She looked at me, "I'm guessing that you're going to tell me your story if I continue."

"I don't see why not."

"I see…" she sighed and laid back also.

"So… what happened after that?"

"Nothing much really, my grandfather came to stay with us from his trip in the ocean regions... They all threw me a surprise birthday; honestly I had forgotten birthdays existed. Axel got me this," She flicked the necklace that now lay on her neck, "It's the only thing I really still have, Grampa told us a few myths and legends, we all went home at around three in the morning if memory serves. After that though... Axel changed, not much at first but he still seemed incredibly distracted. Glancing over his shoulder, basic little things like that. But eventually it got 'worse', although he wanted to hang out as a group more and more often he became _quiet_, which for us was eerie since he'd always been the loudest of us... well maybe second to Kysha. He never really wanted to do much... summer passed slowly, and then... it ended..." she picked up a small rock idly, tossing it between her hands.

_'He was finding out what he was, he couldn't help it… but…'_ I couldn't help but feel depressed about it.

Tai didn't continue for a couple of minutes, finally she closed a fist over the rock and got on with it, "A week after he had received gashes up his arms, he said they were from falling on rocks near the lake... There were no signs, no warnings, the day was normal, I went to Kysha's house to help her with a résumé for a job she wanted... and on the way there is when it all started. A Dusk appeared on the road in front of me, back then I had no idea what it was, and when it started moving toward me in their strange gait I freaked. It was like a horror movie, I took off running to Kysha's house, and more and more of them started popping up everywhere, attacking innocent people breaking things the whole place was a mess...Kysha's house was surrounded by them, blindly I ran... my mind was working just as fast as my legs were, I remembered a legend about some 'key' that could save us all, or in the legend it could... firstly though I checked on Matt, or tried to. He was locked inside his house with Dusk's pounding on the doors and walls... I... took off for home; I don't remember why I ran all the way back to check on my mom, grandpa, Tobi and Kyle... Axel was gone... Kyle told me that as soon as the Dusks started showing up he took off. The town was starting to go to flames. Suddenly wishing that legends and myths I had disbelieved all my life were true I found myself running for the lake, the cliffs… that was where it was supposed to be, I just wanted to help... everything there was all I had... and... I went to the cliffs regardless..." Tai paused.

_'He left her…' _Kyde looked at her, "What was the legend?"

"I don't remember it exactly... it went something like this... _'Long, long ago at the dawn of the world the land was inhabited by dark creatures. Creatures that if looked upon seemed bright, but within them lurked dark intentions. But the world was balanced and the land to give home to bright beings, beings that looked foul and ugly, but was kind hearted and friendly. The two main races found themselves repelled by the other, the dark beings eventually did not want to share the land with the bright beings they so loathed. With their dark hearts they planned war, the Bright beings never seeing a need to fight for anything never expected the onslaught of the Dark beings they found they could not go near without feeling like something other than themselves. The Dark beings flooded the valley in which the Bright beings lived. Equally matched the two sides were, one bright for every dark that arrived. And soon the valley was packed with barely enough room to move a claw. Still the Dark beings fought, but they like the Bright beings felt different, their hearts no longer consumed completely by hatred. And the Bright beings no longer saw all as good. At first the battle stopped because of the confusion the two sides faced, but then it waged on as both sides fought back with their new found views. Atop the cliffs near the sacred lake in the center of the valley a small group of Mixed beings watched the fight with wise eyes. Eyes that knew both sides and what had happened to the two one-sided races. The leaders of both Bright and Dark battled below them near the clear waters of the lake. The Pikphan, the Mixed beings, watched the battle for years, neither side ever gained ground, for they were equally matched, but both powerful. Finally growing tired of the endless battle the Pikphan, using their own power, as strong as both Bright and Dark put together used their ancient magical language of 'Creation' to scrap the figures in the valley into one small hand-held weapon, containing and holding mastery over the powers of all of both races. They submerged the powerful weapon beneath the waves of their lake, but due to the ferocity of their spell things changed. The clear waters of their lake Pikphan became black, and the rich valley turned to a brutal desert. They built a town near the lake, and created humans to be the unknowing guardians of 'The Twilight Key' the powerful weapon that lay deep, deep in the dark waters of the lake. The Pikphan then moved on, leaving this region to itself to help settle conflicts in other areas, then they too left our world... Leaving their sacred weapon in the care of the lake. Hoping that none would find it and be overcome by it's power, but also hoping that if the need arise someone would be strong enough to wield it to vanquish whatever threatened the world they tried so hard to perfect.'_... That's how I was told it... and I went after that Key, since it looked as though everything was going to wreck..."

"That's the KeyBlade you have now." Kyde said, "Then?"

"...I got to the cliffs, dove into the waters, and just kept on swimming down. Down until I no longer could hold my breath that I was already lacking, when I was feeling light headed I gasped for breath and opened by eyes... I wasn't in the lake... I was in a large room, it swirled with the colors black and gold... I was disoriented and confused. I didn't understand what had happened and thought maybe I had died and gone to some strange level of hell... a voice suddenly spoke, loudly, clear as a bell. But I couldn't see a speaker in the mess.

_'So, My world is in chaos, and one thin pathetic defenseless whelp of a girl is all that comes down here? Tell me girl, what do you plan to do now?'_ it had said..."

Tai sighed, "I begged, not knowing what else to do, I begged for the weapon that would save our world as it did in the legend... I didn't understanding what the voice meant when it said most things, she was speaking English... but I didn't understand the context of her words..." she paused for a minute, "when I couldn't beg any longer, when my eyes had run out of tears the voice just chuckled and said

_'Very Well, You don't know what you've asked for.'_..." Tai stopped.

"If it was my world I would have done the same, no questions asked." I tried to smile, but it wasn't exactly a happy moment. "What did the 'person' do?"

"The room sort of demolished itself until I was standing in a purely white space... The KeyBlade I have now was floating in front of me, I hesitated and the voice encouraged,

_'It's what you wanted, take what you asked for'_

...I did, I felt like my hand was being cut up into millions of pieces while being incinerated, and the pain grew from my palm, up my arm, then throughout my body... I lost consciousness, and I woke up in Traverse Town... _It_ explained where I was and why... Leon and the others found me... took care of me, trained me... but for the most part I never spoke..." Tai closed her eyes, "that's not what's important though. 'Twili' is the voices name, and this is her mark, her symbol, what represents her." Tai opened up her right palm to reveal the sun, moon, and star scar.

"So that's why you're always flinching. You have someone inside you." This sounded like me before I became one with Xyked, but there were still times when I felt like she was still there. Like there were two people in the same body, but I mostly ignored this feeling.

Tai nodded, "My world was destroyed and so was everything that was on it, and… I never did find Axel again."

"How do you know if he's even alive." This was a stupid question for me to be asking…

"I just know it." Her tone changed, "He's alive."

She sounded so serious, "Alright…"

There was a long pause.

"Well?" Tai asked.

"Well what?"

"What's your story?"

"My story?" I sighed, "That's one long story."

"So was mine."

"Point taken." I fiddled with the purple necklace around my neck. "Is that all of yours?"

"All I'm telling you until you tell yours."

"Your good." I smiled. "Where to start?"

"The beginning, like your home?"

"Well," I started, "I'm from a Planet called 'Earth'. It's no different then any other world really, with all it's wars and crap, but I guess with all the diverse people living there there's not much you can do about it. Anyways I lived in a large family, one little sister, one older sister and two older brothers. The oldest brother and my sister were married, only making the family bigger." I couldn't help but smirk.

"I wasn't the most active kid in the school, heck I wasn't even close. I had some health issues and that kept me from doing much. I spent most of my time taking care of my mother, she was very ill. Then that day came..." I paused.

"Health issues?" Tai said, "You seem fine now."

"That's the amazing part of it. When I came here it's like I was a different person. Totally healthy."

Tai looked at the ground, "Alright, what day came?"

"Well I was the only one home that day, and I was just laying around with my cat. It wasn't different from any other day to start with..." I stopped to think. "Our country had been at war with some other country. I didn't pay attention to that stuff, although I should have. Anyways..." I paused again, "there were a lot of planes flying over my town, something that doesn't happen very often. We did have a small airport but that was used for very few things, and mostly for the people in the town that owned a plain, but they wouldn't have been flying that day." I felt pain in my chest, "That day a plane crashed next to the town, then more started to fall allover the town. I was scared for my life..."

"Is that a type of bird... a plane I mean...?" Tai asked quizzically, I'm guessing she hasn't seen one.

"You didn't have planes on your world?" I asked, then shook my head. "No it's not a bird, it a metal craft that fly's and carries people. I guess you could call it a metal bird."

"Oh, well continue then," Tai said.

"I got my cat and my shoes and ran outside. The town was on fire and because I lived on the highest place in the town I could see it all. Everywhere people were in the streets, cars were crashed together, and I ran back into my house and grabbed my bag. My cat jumped in and I went outside to grab my bike." I made a fist. "Another plain crashed close by, it made everything shake and I fell to my hands and knees. Finally I made it to my bike and made my way to town. I wanted to find my family...

"My mother and sister were at the store... by the time I got there all of Main Street was total chaos. I swerved around cars and people, finally finding my mothers car.

Both my sister and mother were there, and finally the planes had stopped falling." I took a deep breath, "They were both fine and we learned via radio that the planes were not identified yet and that my town wasn't the only place. Places allover had the very same thing happen." I opened my hand, "I got my mom back to the house with my sisters' help. Luckily our house was untouched."

"The next few days the country was under 'red alert' and my family stayed home for about a week. We were careful and more things started to happen..." I stared up. "I heard of this one thing that was up in the mountains to the south of the town. So I snuck out and rode my bike to the loop roads that lead up the mountain... I didn't think I would make it. My heart was pounding and I hadn't worked that hard for a long time. I had a heart condition...  
"Anyways I finally got to the first lake, the place I was going to was maybe ten miles away. It was a camp site for youth get-togethers and that, but behind it was a swamp. Know one ever went back there, they made stories about it, and know one ever went back there to see if it was true.

"When I got to the camp site, I was tired and thought I was going to die, but the camp was empty and all the cabins disserted. I ditched my bike and made my way to the back of the camp, then the hard part came..." I smirked. "Getting through that swamp was as easy as traveling through a bed of cactus in shorts and sandals. There were mud holes where I got stuck over and over again. I didn't know what direction I was supposed to be going but I just remembered that in the center of the swamp there was this place that the people talked about. They said that something lived there and that's why the mountain didn't have that much wildlife."  
I flexed my hand, "I finally reached this place only to find a pile of boulders, but after looking around I found a hole that lead under the swamp. With some hesitation I went into the hole, surprised that it was as big as it was to fit me and maybe even a grown man. The hole was a long tunnel that seemed to go on forever, the air was stagnant and I could hardly breath. There was no light so I ended up using my cell phone to light my way."  
"Anyways I ended up in a large room that had an opening high above, and before I got the chance to explore something... thrashed around and slamed me into the wall. I fell to my knees and my head felt like it was spinning. I got my sight back and looked back behind me, in the shadows something was looking at me and wasn't happy about me being there."

"Then the creature started to talk, but I didn't see it move.  
_'What are you doing here?!'_ it said, whatever it was seemed very angry at me.  
I didn't know how to answer it, to tell the truth I wasn't sure why I was here. I just followed the story I learned.  
_'Answer me child!'_ it said again.  
Being nearly 16, I didn't consider myself a child. I told this creature that I wasn't a child and that I was there for my own reasons.  
It seemed amused by what I said. _'I can see right through you. Your here to save something.'_  
It was right, I was there to save something. I admitted that I was there to protect something, my family. I wanted to save my family more than anything, I didn't care what happened to anyone else. I guess I was selfish because it laughed at me.  
_'What can you do? Your weak, can you even protect yourself?'_  
Then tears started to swell up in my eyes, I didn't like to be reminded that I was weak. I told it I wasn't weak in my heart, mind, and soul. I said that I was stong on the inside and that the outside wasn't what mattered to me.  
The creature didn't speak for a moment, then it stepped into the light. To my shock it was a large serpent, a dragon as what my world would call it. It was purple, silver, and black in color with massive wings folded against its sides. It's tail swished around in the darkness as it sat down facing me.  
_'You are strong, stronger then most adults in this world. Only your heart has been wounded, that will make your journey hard.'_  
I didn't know what it meant, the story never told of any journey. It only said that the person would gain the power to protect the ones he or she cared about. But then I didn't care and I had broke down, I wasn't sobbing but I couldn't stop the tears. I was on my hands and knees, I would do anything to protect those I loved.  
_'Have you learned your true name?'_  
I was confused, I told it that my name was Elizabeth, but the dragon disagreed.  
_'Your name, your true name, is Kyde. The rest of your name you will have to learn for yourself.'_  
Then it started to glow, then the dragon absorbed into itself and formed an orb, after that it floated down to me and stayed in front of me. Without thinking I put my hands on it, and I heard a voice say to me-  
_'Strong in ways other can not see, now strong in the way they can.'_ " Kyde paused.  
"The next thing I know is I'm on Sora's world."

"So then, what was the story?" Tai sighed.

"Well it's kinda' stupid really. I found it in this old book in the corner of the town library. I asked the librarian about it and she said that she found it one day and just gave it to the library. Interested I began to read it, the basics of the story was like this..." I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly trying to remember the jest of it.  
_'Those that are strong on the inside care about others. Enough to protect is a rarity in this world and the world to come. Everywhere is different but it has the same heart. __  
__'Bring the one that will give all, sacrifice everything, just to continue to love and be loved. That will be the one to receive the power to protect those he cares about.'_ "  
I looked at my hand, "After that I asked around town and found that it was an old story from long ago. That there was something in the mountains to the south of the town that had this power, but they all blew it off as a legend. Yet no one ever went into the swamp that was told to be that way because of the legend.  
"In our mountains there were lakes, trees, everything! But then there was that swamp... with no explanation of why it was there or how it got there. Besides the story, or legend."

"Hmm, what happened when you got to Sora's world?" Tai asked.

I shrugged, "Nothing much really. This voice inside me said that I was this 'Protector' or something and told me I had to watch over Sora. So I did.  
"We became fast friends, him and everyone else that I meet on his world. Then it was destroyed, and well Sora's journey started. Then I met you, and well you know the rest."

"Do I?" she looked over at me, "What happened to you after the whale."

I swallowed hard, "I don't want you to be mad at me. You're the best friend I've never had, and I don't want that to go away."

She gripped my wrist, "Just say it, how can it be that bad?"

"I combined with my other half, she was the voice in my head in the beginning. Her name was really Xyked…" I decided to give her a hint to see if she knew what I was apart of, "That's Kyde with an X."

"Alright, keep going."

"The one who helped me do that, and helped me afterwards…" I couldn't do it… I sat up and put my hand over my eyes.

"Ya…"

"Was Axel…"

Complete silence engulfed the room.

* * *

-Chapter 17 through Chapter 21- Na na na na Na na Na na Can't Touch This! XD 

The song is NOT MINE! The song name is So Good by Bratz... don't ask I just like the song.

**Chapter has been Edited**


	7. Confronted

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof.

**Tai:** Now you have to admit that this one was good. 21 pages of none rewriting! So happy I would have gone longer but my dad was kicking me off the computer... I can't blame him it was midnight...

* * *

Chapter 6: Confronted

Tai drew in a deep breath, "Well... I can't blame you..."

I tightened up and looked toward her, removing my hand from my face. "Wh-what?"

"Maybe things will turn out better between you two...better than I could have ever hoped for..."

"You… your not mad?" this was the only thing I knew too say.

Tai didn't say anything.

"Then you two…" I paused. "Were you two?"

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"I'm just sorry."

Tai just sighed. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"You're in this Organization right?"

"So you do know about it? How do you know if I'm in it?"

"Kyde plus 'X', everyone in the Organization has an X in their name. Well everyone that I've meet so far."

I nodded. "You did get my hint."

"Well?"

"Well what?!"

"Never mind, let's just go." She stood.

"Go where? And how?"

"You're in the Organization, open a portal.

"I'm not too good at it yet so I don't know..."

"Can you or can't you?"

"I'll try!" I said firmly as I got to my feet. I raised my right hand and summoned a portal. A dark hole opened in front of me, "How's that?"

"Good enough." Tai said walking past me and into the portal. I walked in behind her and it closed. We were in a dark room, with another portal at the other end. "Where's your ship?"

"Just outside the world we were at."

"Alright then." I walked past her and put my hand through the portal, it changed to a gray color. "This should be right."

Not even missing a step she walked right on through.

I sighed, "She really is a lot like him…" I closed the portal without going through. "Sorry Tai, I have to find something out." I opened a portal in the same spot and passed through.

I stepped onto cold hard stone and passed into a room that was white and different lighter shades of blue and silver. To my left was a door, the door to my room, it was the only door in the hallway. That was the way I wanted it, well the way Xyked wanted it. I opened the door and walked to the closet, opening it slowly my coat hung in the center.



"You're back!" Demyx smiled as I approached.

"Can you not preach it to the world? Now where is Axel? I can't find him." I had found him on the balcony as always. That was his favorite place to practice.

"You mean your not staying?"

"Not at the moment, I just needed to know something. Now where is he?"

"He went out to the forest."

"The forest?"

"Ya, he said he had something to do." he shrugged. "Hey do you want to hear my new song?"

I smiled; I couldn't help but feel better with Demyx around. He was just like a kid but more mature in some ways. "How about this, I'll give you some music and you learn that. Then I'll even sing to it."

"Sure!"

"I'll get you the song after I find Axel alright?"

"Ok." He started to walk off.

"And Demyx..."

He stopped and turned his head, "Ya?"

"Don't tell anyone that I came back."

He gave out a laugh, "Sure thing Kyde." Then he walked off.

I turned and opened a portal, "The forest hu?" I walked into the portal closing it behind me.



The forest was right next to the Castle, and the Castle was on a world that used to be called Radiant Gardens, but it was changed to Hollow Bastion. The reason behind that I wasn't sure but after the name changed I do know that a forest popped up, or that what was said. It was a dark forest with a great abundance of trees and the tops twisted together letting just enough light in to see.

The walk was nice, but not something I wanted to do right now. I wanted to find him, the one who hurt my friend… and yet… the one I cared about. The fury in me started to engulf me; I was to upset to cry. I finally came to a tree that was set apart from the others; this was because the ones that were around it were burnt to the ground. I looked up to see a patch of red in the branches above. I grabbed a rock and chucked it at it, knowing it was Axel. It smacked him right in the head, and he yelped.

He turned and was about to tell me off until he saw it was me, "Kyde? What are you doing here?" he jumped down.

I didn't saw a word.

He walked toward me and put his hand on my shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"Tai." Was all I said.

His eyes looked pained at that name, "She told you…"

I just glared at him, "You left her, when she needed you most, and she thought you died."

He looked away from me, "I tried to protect her."

"Really? Explain how ditching her when everything went wrong was protecting her." My voice was harsh and cold.

He seemed shocked, "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Xyked ordered the Organization to get me."

This pissed me off, it was obvious to me that Xyked hadn't given me all her memories but I didn't think she did anything like this. "So you didn't tell her you were leaving?"

"How could I?" he seemed sad.

"You could have figured it out. I don't have all Xykx memories but I do know that if you really cared you would have found a way to tell her."

He started to get mad, he gripped my shoulder hard and it started to get hot. "I didn't want her thinking I was a freak! I cared for her! I didn't want her to get hurt! So I went with the Organization because the planted an attack on our… her home world." The heat got intense. "I didn't want to hurt her!"

_'Well you're hurting me._' I thought as I tried to ignore the pain. "What would you know about caring? You don't even get that she still cares! Or if anyone else cares and-" Just then his hand burst into flames and I yelled in pain.

He immediately let go and the fire stopped. His face changed from hatred to fear. I gripped my arm just under my shoulder; he had burnt through my coat and other clothes. Now it was severely burnt skin, which had plasma coming from it. My eyes filled with tears.

"Kyde, I'm-" I didn't stay to hear it, to hear that word. I ran off into the forest.

I didn't know where I was going, I didn't care. I was to protect the ones I cared about. To love and _be _loved, that's what I was told. Now I was hurt by the one I cared about, and he had hurt someone else I cared about… why was my life so messed up.



_I was laying down on the floor in the living room, my cat right next to me. She was just a kitten, a rag doll kitten. She was the only one I could talk to really. Today was a normal day, except for the planes flying over head. There weren't usually so many, but it didn't worry me any._

_Today I was home alone, my dad was working and so was my brother. My Mother and little sister were off doing shopping. They hadn't been gone long but I couldn't go, I had to say home and watch the house. We had some real ass holes for neighbors…_

_I had just rolled over onto my side when I felt the house shake, then I heard the sound. Something smashing against something else, more like crashing and it was no small crash. I immediately got up and looked out the living room window. Nearby there was a plane smashed into the ground._

_I ran outside, scared; I didn't know what else to do. I looked over the town, being on the highest hill I could see everything. More planes kept falling, crashing into houses and homes. Cars stopped in the streets, people ran around screaming, and then one fell close to home. Several houses above mine a plane fell, the crash made my ears ring and sent me to my knees. The street broke all the way down the hill and even into the street below. _

_"What the Hell is going on?" I gasped. _

_Without thinking any further I ran inside the house and grabbed my bag, naturally my cat jumped in. I placed it on my back and ran out the door again to my bike. I lifted it over the huge crack in the street and rode on down. I swerved around people and cars, finally making it to Main Street. There everything was wrong, cars crashed into each other, people arguing in the parking lots._

_Rolling my bike into the Grocery Store parking lot I looked franticly for my Mother. After finding the car I found that my Mother and sister were safely inside but there was no way there were going to get anywhere in the car, the streets were chaos. I dropped my bike next to the car and ran to the front drivers' side door._

_"Mom! Rachel! Are you ok?" I opened the door._

_"I'm fine, but mom's not doing so well." Rachel replied from the other side of the car._

_My mom was leaning back in the drivers' chair, "I'll be fine, I just need to get home."_

_"You can't get there in the car, but I got my bike. I'm not sure if that will help but…"_

_She pushed the button to raise the car seat, "I can walk."_

_"Ok then Rachel can take the bike." I said helping my mom out of the car._

_My sister did take the bike, but she took it home and then met us half way home. We both helped my mother up the hill and into the house. The planes had finally stopped falling about half an hour after that, and my mom was lying down. I felt sick after I got her up the hill. My heart was pounding and it hurt, I could hardly breath. The sad thing was that this was normal._

_The next weak my family stayed home. My dad and brother didn't go to work, there was no school, and the country was on 'red alert'. All the airports and such were closed, there was nothing about the planes yet on the news. They were still trying to figure it out. I tried not to pay attention to it, although I should have. If there was ever a time to think about your world it was when it had to do with you._

_"I know Jenny, but what if it's true? I was surprised the phones were up and running so soon._

_"Well what can we do about it?" my older sisters' voice replied over the phone._

_"You can't do anything, but maybe I can."_

_"What is the story anyways? You've never told me the whole thing."_

_"It's kinda' stupid really."_

_"I'll be the judge of that."_

_"Alright, the just of it was: __**'Those that are strong on the inside care about others. Enough to protect is a rarity in this world and the world to come. Everywhere is different but it has the same heart. **__**  
**__**'Bring the one that will give all, sacrifice everything, just to continue to love and be loved. That will be the one to receive the power to protect those he cares about.'**_

_"Well it makes sense, to me anyways." Jenny said after a few minutes._

_"So what should I do?"_

_"If you really think that it's true then go for it. Nothing bad can come from following your heart. Especially yours, Elizabeth."_

_"Thank you Jenny." That always made me feel better, knowing that someone believed in me._

_"So what are you going to do?"_

_"I'm going to see if it's true. I mean, if the people in town know about it then it has to be more than a story. Also I want to protect everyone."_

_"I know you do, you have a soft and kind soul and your heart is the same, but if it's true what will happen?"_

_"I don't know… I really don't know."_

_"Well it's late; I have to work tomorrow… I wish I could be there."_

_"I know you do, maybe someday." She lived in California and I lived in Wyoming… that was a distance in and of itself._

_That night I hardly slept at all. I was worried, excited, scared, and for some reason happy. I was going to do something that could help all those I cared about, but I didn't know how it could. What if I got there and nothing? What if something happened that I didn't want? What could happen? So many questions flew through my head I couldn't get my mind to focus on anything else if I wanted it to._

_I didn't want to leave my family that morning, but I knew in my heart that if I didn't I would never be able to do anything. I felt sick inside; was it because of my heart? Or was it because of all the different emotions swirling around inside me?_

_Everyone was still asleep when I got up, so leaving wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The only problem was Rikku… if I left her then she would have woke everyone up and I wouldn't have had a good enough head start. So I grabbed my bag and she jumped in. The cat looked up at me with her blue eyes, almost like she knew. I carefully placed the bag on my back and got to my bike. I had everything I thought I would need, which wasn't much._

_I took off down the hill and rounded the corner to head out of town. I had to be fast, but I had to save my energy. With my health problems I wouldn't be able to make it up the mountain, and I knew that. The whole way there I used the dips to help me go forward without using too much energy. I used the way of the land for my advantage._

_I found myself at the loop road that wound its way up the side of the mountain, and at first it was easy, it was just a small incline. Then it slowly got harder, and harder. The slop got steeper and I was getting tired. My heart was pounding and it hurt, there were a few times that I had to get off the bike and walk, and even stop._

_It was about eleven now and everyone would be up. Rikku was asleep in my bag, as usual, and I was past the loop roads. Now the road into the mountain was all that was left. Again I used the way of the land for my advantage, because there were lots of ups and down I was able to go fast enough down hill that I didn't have to work hard to go up hill._

_I past about two lakes and finally made it to the entrance of the camp site. Of coarse it was empty but it didn't make me feel any better knowing I was alone. I made it across the plain and parked my bike behind one of the cabins. It was hot out now and the shade of the trees was a great welcome. The rest of the way in would be that way, and I didn't have a problem with that. The only problem I did have was that it was going to be damp and miserable._

_The swamp was thick and wet. My shoes got stuck in the muck more than once and I almost ended up on my face a few times. Then there was the bugs, they didn't usually bother me much but it wasn't flying insects… it was spiders. Webs everywhere and I walked into my fare share of them. I felt creepy crawly and just sick to my stomach! I wanted to go home and shower, but that would mean going back and that was something I wouldn't do. I wasn't about to give up, after coming so far, after leaving my family, after following my heart._

_The swamp only got worse the farther I went, but something strange happened. I stepped onto hard ground. Not mushy suck my foot down ground, it was dirt! There was an area where there were boulders piled around a hole. The hole was about the size of one of the boulders itself, and it seemed to be in use. Otherwise the hole would have been a new nest for spiders and other such things._

_I debated for a while, thinking back. I had found a book at the library in town. It was old and when I asked the librarian about it she said that she found it and just gave it to the library. She didn't remember where she found it but I guess that didn't matter. I ended up reading it and finding out about this legend. That there was some kind of power hidden in the mountains that protected the town. Something that could give power to someone who looked and wanted it for others. There were stories about men going into the mountain and finding a swamp. Then they went into the swamp and never came out._

_Not sure what to believe I asked around town, the older people knew about it and said that it was just a story, a legend. Mainly used to keep young children from wandering off when camping and stuff like that. I myself had cast it aside as a story, but now I wasn't so sure._

_Rikku started fidgeting around in the bag, I put it down and opened it the rest of the way. She looked up at me and stretched; I took her out of the bag and placed it on my back again. I picked her up and went down the hole, I don't know why but she didn't seem to mind being in the hole. That eased some of my worry, but I didn't like the dark that much, and I had also nearly ran into some walls. I fumbled around in my pocket and found my cell phone. I knew it wouldn't get any service around here but it was still good for a light. I played around with it to make the backlight stay on and continued walking._

_The hole turned out to be a long tunnel, and the air was stagnant. I could hardly breath some of the time, but I continued forward. I don't know how far I went before I ended up in a room. It was a large room with a high ceiling. At the top was a hole where light shot through and only lit up some of the surrounding area. I put Rikku down and turned my phone off, placing it in my pocket again. I looked around and found the room to just be a large hole in the ground._

_Without warning Rikku growled and before I could do anything something slammed against me and threw me into a wall. I smacked it and fell to the ground, my head was throbbing and it took a while before I could get my eyes to focus again. When I did Rikku was next to me swishing her tail. She didn't like something and I didn't either. I looked at the direction where the hit had come from and found myself looking at a pare of eyes. Purple eyes! Big, purple, snake like eyes that seemed to glow in the shadows._

_"What are you doing here?!" The creature said from the dark. It seemed very angry at me, as it's voice echoed through the room._

_I was scared to death! I didn't know how to answer it._

_'Answer me child!'__it said again._

_Being nearly 16 I didn't consider myself a child, "I'm not a child! I'm here for my own reasons, it has nothing to do with you!"_

_It seemed amused by what I said, "__I can see right through you. Your here to save something."_

_  
__It was right, I was there to save something. "I'm here to protect my family. I want to save my family more than anything. Their all I care about."__  
_

_It laughed at me, "__What can you do? Your weak, can you even protect yourself!"_

_Tears started to swell up in my eyes, I didn't like to be reminded that I was weak. "I'm not weak. My heart, mind, and soul are strong! I'm strong in the inside and the outside doesn't mattered to me.__"_

_  
__The creature didn't speak for a moment, then it stepped into the light. I was shocked. It was a large serpent, a dragon as what my world would call it. It was purple, silver, and black in color with massive wings folded against its sides. It's tail swished around in the darkness as it sat down facing me.__ Rikku didn't move from my side but stopped swishing her tail. I guess the Dragon didn't want any harm or else she would be having a fit._

_  
"__You are strong, stronger then most adults in this world. Only your heart has been wounded, that will make your journey hard."_

_  
__I didn't know what it meant, the story never told of any journey. It only said that the person would gain the power to protect the ones he or she cared about. I broke down crying, I wasn't sobbing but I couldn't stop the tears. I was on my hands and knees, "I'll do anything to protect those I love."_

_  
"__Have you learned your true name?"_

_  
__I was confused, "My name is Elizabeth."_

_  
The Dragon shook its head, only now did I notice its mouth didn't move when it spoke. "__Your name, your true name, is Kyde. The rest of your name you will have to learn for yourself." The Dragon__ started to glow and it formed itself into a small orb, after that it floated down to me and stayed in front of me. _

_Without thinking I put my hands on it, and I heard a voice say to me-__  
"__Strong in ways other can not see, now strong in the way they can. To Protect, to love and be loved. That is your path…__"_



That's the way it happened, I finally remembered. After that I was on Sora's world, with that voice inside me. To find out that that voice was Xyked, my other half. I don't know what happened to the Dragon, but I felt that it was still there. Almost like it was watching over me. I became the Protector, to love and be loved. It didn't seem so hard back then, but know I felt like it was a never ending struggle.

I was out of the forest where Axel was. I used my wings and flew out and found the part of the city where the Nobodies were that wasn't in use. I landed and found myself in a park by a river. It was raining and my shoulder was throbbing. I missed my mom, my sister, my family. It wasn't fair, why couldn't I see my family? And what happened to my cat? I didn't know how to get back home, otherwise I would have already done that.

I was really tired now, after using my wings and getting burned. I was also cold, the rain soaked my coat and made my shoulder go numb. That was a relief but I knew that it was getting infected. I didn't care, right now I felt like I was dead inside. Those I cared about… I don't know what happened. How did I end up like this? I was supposed to protect Sora but that's what Donald and Goofy were sent to do. I loved and was supposed to be loved, but I guess nobody can truly love a Nobody. Even though I'm not a 'true' Nobody…

It seemed to be hours out in the rain, but I didn't have any reason to complain. I loved the rain, just as much as I loved the snow. I may have been born in the middle of summer but nothing seemed to beat the pure clean feeling of winter. Everything was white and it never stopped snowing in the winter. Being in the mountains we always got a lot of snow, and I loved every minute of it.

By now my whole right arm was numb and it just hung there, I was extremely tired. The sound of the rain hitting the river and the river running still… it was peaceful. I closed my eyes to picture it in my mind, I felt a slight shock of pain go through my shoulder. The hand print would always be there, and so would the memory. Not even the river could wash that away, like it did the rain.

Suddenly I felt very warm, like the sun started to shin but I knew that wasn't it. I couldn't get my eyes to open again, I was to tired. I knew it was still raining but I couldn't feel it fall on my like it was just a few seconds ago. The warmth stayed there and my arm stung. The warmth was making me even more tired. I felt myself move but I didn't know how. The feelings felt good, and I fell asleep, listening to the rain hit the rivers surface and the river carrying it away.



I rolled over to my left side and felt the covers pull. I opened my eyes slowly, blinked a few times to get my vision to clear and looked at a silver wall. The room was dark, the door was shut and so was the window. I was back in my room with the Organization. I was out of my coat and was dry. I moved my left hand to feel my shoulder. It had been wrapped and now felt fine. My half-cut jacket was off and my sleeveless shirt was singed at the edges of my right shoulder. The wrapping was done to where I could still move my arm but I shouldn't, not for a while anyways.

I sat up and took another look around the room, I heard some breathing coming from the other side of the room. I looked and saw Axel with his head down on the desk that was in my room. He was asleep, I carefully removed my covers and walked over to him. I leaned over him and saw something under his hand that was also on the desk. I slid the object out from under his hand without waking him. Holding it up I saw that it was a picture, of him and Tai with two other people. A boy and a girl, Tai was on one side and the girl was on the other. With Axel and another guy in the middle, they looked as if they were kissing! Only I could tell that hey weren't from the shock value on Axel's face. He seemed so happy even though he was smashed in the middle.

What did Xyked do to him? What did I do to him? What did I do to Tai? I put down the picture and started to walk away but before I could remove my hand from the desk Axel grabbed it. I turned around to face him, he was looked up and me from the desk. He didn't say a word.

I frowned, "I'm sorry for what I did to you and Tai…"

He gripped my hand harder, "It wasn't you, I know that now."

"But it was me, Xyked wanted you in the Organization.." I looked away.

He pulled my hand closer and sat up, "That was Xyked, not you."

"How can you say that?" I held back some tears and my voice cracked, "Your home was destroyed and you lost everything. Both you and Tai…"

He turned in the seat to face me, "It's not your fault."

"Why did you want me to team up with Tai?" I had to know, it just didn't make sense to me.

"I wanted you two to be friends." He admitted.

"Why?"

"I knew that Tai would need one, and she was looking for you anyways. I'm still not sure why but she was. She's mad at me and wont understand what happened, what I tried to do. She needed a friend, even though she says she doesn't. She lost everything, and I want her to have something."

I started to cry, "How can I? You hurt her, you hurt my friend and you're my friend."

He stood, "I know," he let go of my hand and wrapped his arms around me. "I'm sorry. I can't do anything about some things but I can still be your friend. I'll protect you."

"But your more than that to me." the tears kept coming and my breathing was shaky.

He pulled me closer, "I know… it's the pain of having a heart I guess."

"No!" I pushed him away.

He looked at me his eyes his usually blank.

"You have a heart too! My heart! I gave you part of my heart."

He seemed shocked, his face changed and he stepped back. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I care about you." I felt something crack inside me, I felt like I was going to break.

"You gave up part of your heart for me." he said, as if disappointed. He started to turn away.

I ran to him and embraced him, I held tight and wasn't about to let go. I felt my shoulder sting, I moved my arm… I bit my lip but still didn't let go. Axel looked down at me, and put a hand on my back and the other behind my head. We stood there for a while and I just cried.

"You have to go back…" he said after we let go.

"But why? Sora has others to protect him."

"It's your destiny, it's something you have to do." he was still sad.

"He needs you, and after the journey is completed I think that we will be together again."

I looked away, I had found another jacket and it now covered my bandaged shoulder. I left the shirt alone; no one would see it anyways. "How can you be sure?"

He smirked, "It must be my heart."

I smiled, "Do you know where they are?"

He was quiet for a moment, "If I remember right when I checked with Number 1 he said that they were headed to Hollow Bastion."

"Luckily no one knows about what's really behind the secrets of Hollow Bastion." The thing was the world I was on now was Hollow Bastion, but it was a different part. Interesting enough only the Nobodies knew about it, not even that hag Maleficent knew about it.

He smirked, "Not like they're even looking."

"Even if they were." I shook my head.

"Well you could just go to the place where they land, that way you wouldn't have to do too much."

"I planed to." I sighed and looked at him, "You know what."

"What?" he cocked his head.

"Maybe you don't need a heart to feel."

He paused for a moment, and then smiled. "Tell that to the rest of the Nobodies."

"Then that would ruin the purpose of being a Nobody. They wouldn't understand, I'll keep it to myself."

"Then why tell me?" he raised one eyebrow.

"I think you know why." I opened a portal.

"So what are you going to tell the others?" he changed the subject, although I knew that he understood what I meant.

"That when I followed Riku I ended up here, where I'm about to go anyways."

"Good plan, and Tai?"

"You know as well as I do that she won't tell anyone. It took a lot for her to tell me about her life, and you." I grinned.

He nodded and walked over to me again, reached his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small box. "Here." He grabbed my hand and put it in it.

I looked at it, "What is it?"

"Open it."

I raised the top and looked inside, there were two rings. They were in the shape of his Chakrams and looked very much like them. Only there were more items in the box. I set it down on the desk and started examining the insides. Besides the rings there were hair clips, which I didn't usually wear, and a chocker necklace. There were also two bracelets and a pair of earrings, all in the shape of weapons, Chakrams.

I looked at him, "But, why?"

He smiled, "I've had these for a while and wanted to give them to you, but I didn't know the right time. They are just in case I'm not there, you can call me. Well part of me."

"What do you mean?"

"Each item has a piece of my Chakrams in it, together they can call my weapons."

"But I don't know if I can use your Chakrams." I didn't understand why he was doing this.

"You'll learn," he smiled and took the necklace and put it around my neck. "now if you don't hurry they'll get there before you and you'll have a lot of explaining to do." he winked.

I turned the necklace around to where it was backwards, "That's the last thing I need Tai to see…"

He nodded; luckily my hair could cover the necklace, the earrings, and even the hair clips. The only problem was the bracelets and the rings, I decided since they were easily taken on and off I wouldn't put them on just yet. If the time came I'm sure I would have the time to put them on. I placed them back in the box and stuffed it in my pocket.

I looked at Axel one last time then turned toward the portal. "I'll see you later." I walked through the portal.



I now sat on a rock that was floating, yes floating, on water. That wasn't the strange part, the water was flowing up, there were rocks floating and even moving in the air above the water. You could also walk on the water, and get into bubbles to go under the water. Hollow Bastion was a strange place ever since it went down hill, but that was a different story. Something about this great guy named Ansem disappearing.

I was sitting there for a while when Sora came from above, again not from heaven. He landed behind me and Donald, Goofy, and Tai were right behind him. I turned my head to face them. Sure enough they were surprised to see me.

"Kyde?! What? How did you get here?" Sora asked first.

"Ya!" Donald eyeballed me.

Tai was giving me her usual look, she hadn't told them.

"When I jumped in after Riku I ended up here." I smiled.

"But I thought both you and Tai jumped in after him, and you two were together." Goofy was scratching his head.

I got to my feet and faced them, "We did, but we got separated when a portal appeared. We went through it and I ended up here. I'm glad you're ok Tai!"

She smirked, "Thanks."

_'She's going to want an explanation later…'_ I thought.

"So you think Riku might be here?" Sora asked.

"That's what I'm guessing."

"Then let's go!" He started to jump from floating rock to floating rock. Donald and Goofy were right behind him.

"I swear he's just like a monkey…" I sighed.

"You don't like monkeys?" Tai asked.

"Hell no! I Hate Monkeys!"

"Ok…" she walked past me and then looked back at me. "Where did you go?"

"To kick some ass." I winked.

She shook her head and jumped up, following Sora.

_'Now I can't tell if she hates me or is just pissed.' _I followed behind her.

After jumping from rock to rock Sora and the others were waiting for us near the top. We were about to continue forward when we heard something.

"No vessel, no help from the Heartless. So tell me how'd you get here?"

I looked up to see a big brown beast with a cape and Riku standing above him, I grabbed Sora to make sure he didn't do anything stupid.

The beast replied, "I simply believed. Nothing more to it. When our world fell into Darkness Belle was taken from me. I vowed I would find her again no matter what the cost. I believed I would find her so here I am, she Must be here!" every time he breathed he growled and he didn't seem too happy. "I Will Have Her BACK!" he yelled.

Riku smiled, "Take her if you can!"

The beast roared and jumped for Riku, a sword appeared in Riku's hand and he did a back flip. Just barely missing the beast's swing with his claws as he landed where Riku once was. Just as Riku got his feet on the ground he didn't waist time, he lunged straight at the beast hitting with a great amount of force. The beast fell…

Sora jerked from my grip and ran in front of the beast, "Stop!" Donald and Goofy stood right behind him.

"It's odd how they do that." I whispered.

Tai only nodded and we stepped forward to where the others were.

"So, you've finally made it." Riku had a slight laugh in his voice. "About time, I've been waiting for you." He paused, "We've always been rivals haven't we? You've always pushed me, as I've always pushed you."

"Riku?" Sora managed to say.

"But it all ends here; there can't be two KeyBlade Masters."

_'Funny, tell that to whoever gave me mine and tell me why Tai has one…_' I smirked on the inside. This was funny to me; Riku had changed so much it was sickeningly funny!

"What are you talking about?" Sora leaned forward.

_'Again with Sora's innocence...'_

"Let the KeyBlade choose, its true Master!" Riku raised his hand.

The KeyBlade started to pull away from Sora, he tried to keep a hold on it but he lost his grip and it appeared in Riku's hand. Not before everyone had their jaws drop to the ground, Tai and I just watched.

"Maleficent was right…" Riku was admiring the KeyBlade, "You don't have what it takes to save Kairi." He pointed to Sora. "It's up to me. Only the KeyBlade Master can open the Secret Door, and change the world."

"But that's impossible, how did this happen?"

_'I'd like to know the same thing…'_ I sighed.

Tai looked at me, "Will you pay attention?" she whispered.

I ignored her.

"I'm the one who fought my way here with the KeyBlade!" Sora was mad, that was a first…

"You were just the delivery boy." Again with that laugh. "Sorry, your parts over now. Here go play hero with this." Riku tossed Sora a play sword, the same that we used on the island.

It landed right in front of Sora and he fell to his hands and knees. Riku walked off, then Donald and Goofy walked forward.

They looked at each other, "Goofy, let's go. We have to remember our mission!

"Oh, well I know the King told us to follow the Key and all, but…" he looked at Sora who was still on his hands and knees.

This was making me mad.

"Ow…", They started to walk off.

"Sora, sorry." Donald said as he walked away.

I picked up a rock and chucked it at Donald. It hit him in the back of the head. He yelped and turned to face me. I ran up to him and grabbed him by the shirt.

"What are you doing?!" he struggled.

"That's just not right! How could you do that?"

"We have to follow the Key." Goofy said.

"Quiet Goofy!" I glared at him then at Donald, "Your Sora's friends! How could you abandon him like that?!"

"You're the Protector, you should be coming with us!" Donald was still struggling.

"Like I would Protect someone that abandons others." I dropped him. "Now go! Do your _mission_." I turned away.

"Kyde…" Goofy said.

"I'm sorry Goofy, but I'm not going."

I heard him sigh and walk off with Donald.

The beast was up and walked right beside Sora; Tai was just looking at me with a smile on her face. The beast continued to walk past Sora then fell to a knee.

Sora jumped up and ran toward him, "Hey, don't move. You're hurt."

"Why, why did you, you come here?" the beast asked. "I came to fight for Belle." The beast stood up and tried to continue walking, "And though I am on my own I will fight! I won't leave without her, that's why I'm here."

Sora turned and picked up the toy sword, then stepped beside the beast, "Me too, I'm not going to give up now. I came here to find someone very important to me."

"And I'm not going to leave." I smiled and walked in front of Sora, "Not because I'm the Protector, but because I'm your friend."

"Thanks Kyde."

"Tai? You with us?" I asked giving her a grin.

She walked toward us, "Why not?"



After a maze of switches and such, we finally opened a huge door at this castle that we found at the end of the floating rocks. Sora had a hard time without his KeyBlade but Tai and I picked up the slack. Seeing as we were never really his body guards in the first place, and we also got help from Beast, that's what he called himself.

It seems him and Belle were in love and lived in a castle on a different world. Only that world was destroyed by heartless and Belle was taken here, as he says. He won't say how he got here; I would have loved to know how though. I didn't press it, I didn't want to get on his bad, angry, side.

After walking through the huge doors we stopped and Beast spoke, "Be on your guard. They're close, I can feel it. Are you ready for them?"

Tai and I smiled and walked forward with Sora, but Beast looked back. I looked back to see what it was. A woman in a yellow ball dress appeared in the doorway, and then turned into a small Heartless, a shadow. Small, black, antennas, yellow eyes, the works.

"Belle?" Beast roared as soon as she turned into a Heartless and jumped for the door. It slammed shut behind him.

"An illusion!" Tai said.

"Quit while you can." Riku said.

I turned around and saw Riku, Donald, and Goofy in front of us._ 'They weren't there before…' _I felt strange, was it because this was the room I appeared in after I jumped after Riku with Tai, and had my memories brought to life again? This was the same room, I couldn't forget it if I wanted to.

"No not without Kairi." Sora said.

"The Darkness with destroy you." Riku was surrounded by a dark light, and then is outfit changed into a body suit. Black, blue, and red colors with a Heartless symbol on his chest, and a white skirt around his waist… that made him look girly.

"You're wrong Riku, the Darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart." He put his hand to his chest, "My heart will stay with my friends, it'll never die!"

"Really?" Riku pulled back his arm and pushed it forward, "We'll just see about that!" Darkness came shooting toward us, toward Sora.

Sora immediately felt pain, and before Tai or I could do anything something blocked the blast.

Goofy now stood in front of Sora, "Sora aint gona' go anywhere."

"You'd betray your King?" Riku asked.

"Not on your life! But I'm not gonna' betray Sora either, because he's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together." He did a thumbs up and looked at Sora.

_'So childish…' _I could feel one of those anime sweat drops forming on my head.

"See ya later Donald!" he waved at Donald. "Could ya tell the King I'm really sorry?"

"Hold on Goofy! We'll tell him together!" he ran toward us, and then stopped in front of Sora. "Well you know, all for one and one for all!"

Goofy nodded, "I guess you're stuck with us Sora."

Sora hung his head, "Thanks a lot, Donald, Goofy, Kyde, Tai."

"How will you fight without a weapon?" Riku asked with a smug look on his face.

_'I'm going to smack him.'_

Sora raised his head. "I know now I don't need the KeyBlade. I've got a better weapon. My Heart!"

Riku smirked, "Your Heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?"

"Although my heart may be weak, it's not alone." He put his hand to his chest again. "It's grown with each new experience and it's found a home with all the friends I've made! I've become part of their heart just as they've become part of mine." He removed his hand. "And if they think of me now and then, and never forget me, then your hearts will be one." He made a fist and stepped forward.

"Moving." Tai whispered.

I smiled and nodded, he seemed so mature compared to what he was when I first met him.

"I don't need a weapon." He pulled out the toy sword, "My friends are my power!"

The KeyBlade started to glow and appeared in Sora's hands, Riku was shocked and now very mad.

"Kyde, Tai we can handle this." Donald smiled and winked at us.

"Besides, you owe me." I returned his wink, "I'm still going to save you if you screw up!" I grabbed Tai and got out of the way.

Riku lunged for Sora and the others and the fight began…

Needless to say the fight didn't last very long. Riku lost and turned back to his normal form, now totally exhausted. Then he ran off, if I was going to fight Riku it was going to be on my own.

The Beast walked through the now open doors, "So, your heart won this battle."

Sora looked at him and nodded. Tai and I jumped down from where we were, which was up the stairs, and joined the group.

"I say we split up. Tai and I will go and see what we can find. You do the same." I said.

"Alright, I'm sure we'll meet again somewhere in this castle." Sora smiled.

I nodded and looked at Tai. She nodded and we ran off up the stairs and through a door, which slammed shut behind us.

* * *

I will get started on the next chapter as soon as I wake up... or as soon as my dad let's me back on the computer. That might not be for a while... Time to beg!!!

**This Chapter has been Edited**


	8. Door to Darkness

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof.

**Tai:** I've got a full 17 pages here for you, and all my other fans.

* * *

Chapter 7: Door to Darkness

Tai and I ran into our fair share of Heartless, and frankly it was never more annoying. I think that they pop up just to die, or return to the darkness, or whatever they do once you defeat them. I kind of knew my way around from our previous visit with Riku. We didn't go the same direction but we ended up in the same place. This was one of the reasons I didn't like Castles…

After playing Musical Elevators with the machines that took you from place to place. We ended up in the room where I opened a portal in before. We hadn't seen neither hide nor hair of Sora and the others and started to get worried. Well I was anyways, with Donald and Goofy it was more than likely they got lost.

"Where do you think we should go now?" I asked. The room, like before, had no other way out then the way we came in.

Tai hadn't answered me. She was searching the walls. I sat down and remembered what we talked about in this room. Our past, our pain, everything that we didn't want to talk about or even remember we let it all out here. Had we really gotten so close that we could do that? Or was it just because our memories were forced back into our minds?

"Found it." Tai spook then a loud rumble came from behind me.

I turned to look and Tai was standing next to a door that wasn't there before. "How'd you know it was there?"

"Easy, this couldn't be the end of the line. It had to have another way out just incase of intruders and such."

"How do you know all this?"

"Remember how I said my Grandfather told me stories?"

I nodded, "Alright." I stood and walked to the door, but as I started to walk through it Tai grabbed my arm. I looked back at her.

"Why did you leave me?"

"What?"

"You know what. Now tell me what you did after you took me to my ship."

There was no way she was going to just let this go, nor let go of my arm, until I said something. Let's face it; I'm not that good of a liar anyways. I sighed heavily, "I went to see Axel."

She didn't say anything, like I expected her to.

"I needed to see, I needed to find something out." I wasn't lying, just not saying everything.

She looked me over, like she was expecting something on me to tell me if I was telling the truth.

"What is it?" I asked.

She looked down and shook her head, then let go of my arm and asked me, "Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"The burn."

I was shocked. How would she know about my burn?

"Take the jacket off." She demanded, I think it was a demand.

Not seeing what it would hurt, besides my shoulder, I slowly and carefully slid my half-cut jacket off my right arm and moved it so she could see the wrapping. "It was an accident."

"It always is." She said.

"So you believe me now?" I gave her a look.

"I did before; I just wanted to know if you talked to him or just went to look for him."

"Well I talked to him." I carefully put my arm back through the sleeve. "I'm sorry, I just had to."

She shrugged, "I can't stop you from seeing someone, even if it is Axel."

"You're still not mad at me?"

"Why should I be? Like I said, you might have a better chance with him." She seemed sad at this but quickly hid her emotion and looked at me, "Let's get going."

I walked through the door with her by my side. It was another room with elevators but there was a path to another door way. Without even considering the elevators I went to the door and stopped. Tai looked at me.

"How did you know about the burn?" I looked at her, "Did he burn you too?"

She nodded again, "I was trying to talk to him and well, he got mad."

"He sure does seem to do that a lot."

She smirked.

"You…" I started then paused for a few moments. Tai only continued to look at me. "You guys, seemed… Really happy, back on your home." I hung my head slightly.

She sighed. "How would you know if we were happy?"

"I saw a picture, with you and Axel with two other people. A boy and a girl. You all seemed to be having fun."

She seemed to be thinking then smiled, she Smiled! "I didn't think he would show you that picture."

"Well he didn't. I found it." I admitted.

She stopped smiling. "We were happy, but it's gone now." She cast it off like it was just something in the way that could be removed.

I smiled at her. "Well as a friend I'll try to get you to be happy again." I put my hand on the door handle.

She looked at me, shocked. I didn't want to continue the conversation, and she obviously had nothing else to say, so I slowly turned the handle and crept in. I waited tell Tai got through and quietly closed the door. _'Even if it means Axel…' _I thought and crept through the hallway.

We were now in a hallway with what seemed to be some kind of pods on both walls. In each pod there was a woman, each were in a dress and I found one to be the one Beast called Belle when he jumped for the door earlier. When Sora was going to fight Riku. There were six to be exact and at the end of the hallway was a large room with steps on either side that lead up to a second floor.

I heard voices coming from there, so I quietly walked up one of the stairs, Tai was right behind me. I peeked my head just barely over the floor and held my breath for a moment. Maleficent was standing there and I could hear footsteps, I saw Riku walking up behind her and he was wearing that outfit again with the white skirt.

Riku stopped next to her and looked up at something in the direction Maleficent was looking. "So, I see the path has emerged at last." Something was different. It was Riku's voice but it was another voice that was tangled with his own. A deeper and older voice. I felt like I heard it before but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Yes, the Keyhole to the Darkness." Maleficent replied.

"Unlock it and the Heartless will over run this world."

"What do I care? The Darkness holds no power over me. Rather I will use its power to rule all worlds." She made a gesture with her hand.

"Such confidence." Riku held out his hand and a KeyBlade appeared! It was black with a red handle.

Maleficent looked at it intrigued, "Oh…" she then paused, "But it's impossible! The Princesses of Heart are all here. It must be here!" she turned to look behind her.

I followed her gaze and saw that Tai was looking with me and also Kairi was lying on the ground behind them. How they kept moving her from place to place I didn't get. She wasn't there a moment ago.

They walked toward her. "Without her Heart, she will never be able to release her power." Riku shook his head.

A loud noise that sounded like a door slamming echoed through the room, "The Kings fools are here… I'll deal with them myself." Maleficent started to walk away, "You stay here and guard the Princesses."

After Maleficent was a ways away Riku looked toward her and smile, then glowed a bright blue color. Tai and I exchanged looks.

"What do you think is the matter with him?" Tai asked in a very low whisper as she crouched down on the stairs.

I crouched down beside her. "You asking me?"

"You're the leader of the Organization. You should be able to tell."

"I'm not sure…"

"Well what do you think?"

"I think that he's possessed by someone, but that's just me."

She looked down for a moment, "That would explain his voice, and that KeyBlade."

"Are you saying I'm right?"

"I'm saying that you might be right."

I frowned.

"Let's get him." Tai was about to stand up.

I grabbed her and pulled her back down, "Are you nuts?! I know that you're overly Pissed at him for the memory thing but now's not the time. We have to wait for Sora."

She gave me a look then shrugged, "It's amazing that he hasn't noticed us."

"I put up a barrier." I smiled.

"What? When?"

"I don't know, it's just something that I can do when I'm sneeking around." I looked down, "Or at least that's what Axel told me."

She ignored my last remark, "So we're just going to sit here?"

"I'm going to try and find out why I think I've heard that other voice."

"You've heard it?"

"Ya, I just don't know when or where…"

"Well think, was it back on your home? E-arth?"

"It's said Erth. You don't pronounce the 'a', and no."

"Well then it was when you came here, how about around the time when you met Sora?"

I started to think, there wasn't that much time that we spent together before his world was destroyed. All we did was fight each other and get supplies for the raft. "That's it!"

"What?"

"When Sora and I were looking for stuff together, we met this guy. Well, actually, he just appeared out of nowhere and scared us. It was a guy in a brown coat with a hood over his face. That's where I've heard that voice from!"

Just as Tai was about to say something we both heard a portal open, I looked up again and Riku was walking though a portal. "Now's our chance! If we loose him again we might not find him!" I said jumping up onto the second floor.

Tai followed right behind me. "I thought you said not to fight him?"

"We're just following him… again."

Riku was through the portal and Tai just gave me a loud and heavy sigh. I jumped though with Tai right behind me. I was keeping the portal open with my own power but we didn't walk through to the other side. I held Tai's hand so that she wouldn't go somewhere in the Darkness by accident and we watched.

Maleficent was hurt, and hurt bad. She was hunched over and gasping for air. Riku appeared to her after coming through the portal, "Do you need some help?" by now his normal voice was less there then it was before.

The portal was closing and I couldn't stop it, I jumped out pulling Tai with me and it closed behind us. Somehow we jumped to the side of where Riku was, and footsteps came from behind.

"Riku!" it was Sora. I let go of Tai and looked back, this did not look good… for me and Tai to be standing right next to our Evil Riku and Maleficent. Which I gather Sora just kicked her ass. Donald, Goofy, and Beast were with him.

Riku turned around to face them, and then looked at us. Then back at the others.

"Is that?..." Donald started.

"Yes," Riku held up his KeyBlade, "a KeyBlade. But unlike yours," he lowered it, "this KeyBlade has the power to unlock peoples Hearts. Allow me to demonstrate. Behold!" he turned and stabbed the KeyBlade into Maleficent.

Maleficent gasped and Darkness formed around the KeyBlade.

"Now open your Heart, surrender it to the Darkness! Become Darkness itself!" he shoved it in further and then jerked it out. Disappearing into a portal.

"Kyde!" Tai looked at me.

"I can't, Sora'll see." I said through my teeth.

Maleficent was flowing with Darkness and started to glow green. "This is it, this power!" she laughed. "Darkness, the true Darkness!!" she went up in flames! Green flames that engulfed her.

"Kyde! Tai! What's going on here?" Sora ran up to us.

"We just followed Riku and got here." Tai said.

"This isn't the time for chit-chat!" I hissed, "Look!" I pointed toward Maleficent.

Dark mist exploded from here and covered the floor. Sora and the others got ready with their weapons, and I too called mine. Tai didn't.

Maleficent morphed into a large Dragon, black with bright yellow eyes and a yellow mouth that was engulfed in green flames.

"Your type of fight." Tai joked.

"Just because I got here by Dragon and all that stuff doesn't mean anything!"

"You sure?" she raised an eyebrow to me.

"So your not going to help?"

"Why should I? This is your high point." She smiled wirily and ran off.

"Tai!" I yelled.

"Where's she going?" Goofy asked.

"After Riku." I gritted my teeth. I looked at Sora, "Sora, you should go to."

"No, I'm going to fight with you."

"Fine, but when I give the signal you guys have to steer clear alright!?"

"What? Why? What signal?"

"I'll hit you with something." I smiled.

He just looked at me then nodded, "Alright, ready guys?"

"Ya!" Donald and Goofy replied.

"Let's Go!" Sora and I yelled and ran for Maleficent.



Maleficent in Dragon form used a lot of usual Dragon Type attacks. Breathing fire, stomping, swinging of the tail, but she also used Magic. Something only some Dragons used, some preferred to prove their strength more than anything. She used her green fire to follow and attack everyone.

Donald was mostly healing everyone while Goofy was going all out. Sora took turns attacking and healing. Beast was also going all out and doing a lot of damage. Sora had used some Summons that he learned earlier, like Genie from the World of Aladdin or Agraba as I've learned. They did help in the battle but it tired Sora out a great deal.

Sora had just used a Summons and Donald was out of magic and items to heal with. Beast we seriously hurt but he wouldn't go down even if we was near death. Goofy had just about hit his limit and Maleficent wasn't over yet. True she was hurt but not as bad as she had hurt the others. I wasn't in that bad of shape, I was pretty good actually.

I failed to mention before that the room was covered in roots and thorny ones at that. It to had a hole in the ceiling that let a great deal of light in. I had to find something to throw at Sora. We couldn't get very close to each other. Maleficent had been trying to keep us apart so we couldn't combine our powers. I found a small rock and tossed it at Sora; it hit him in the head.

Sora winced and looked in my direction, "Go! Get out of here!"

"You can't do this on your own!" he yelled back jumping over the Dragons massive tail.

"We talked about this! Now get going!" I yelled.

"Com'on Sora! Let's go!" Donald grabbed Soras arm.

"If Kyde says she's got it then we have to trust that." Goofy said.

Sora looked at me then them, then me again. He nodded, "If your not back in five minutes I'm coming back!" he turned at yelled to Beast. Together they all ran through a portal that lead out of the room.

I turned to face the Dragon, "Maleficent!"

She turned to face me from trying to go after the others.

"You may think that being a Dragon is good enough." I smiled and pulled my KeyBlade back. "But _this_ Dragon has a different point of view, or should I say this _**Drakes**_." I concentrated and pulled in the energy I had around me. I could feel my back about to explode, the feeling again…

My hands turned into claws and my teeth grew sharp. I was changing full force this time, and was going to see what I could do. I made my outfit change with my magic, removing my shoes and turning my pants into shorts. It would change back as soon as I was done, but for now it would be easier to fight like this.

By now my wings had broke free and so did my tail and was now swishing against the ground. I had most of the Dragon features, the eyes, claws, tail, wings, teeth, so forth. Only I kept my basic human form, this is what you called a Drakes. My transformation was complete and now my skin was harder then diamonds, all save for one spot. Just like the stomach of a Dragon is soft so was mine, only a Dragon would usually lay on jewels and such to make a shield. With only me knowing this secret I didn't think it would be too much of a problem.

I looked up at Maleficent again and she was just eager to pounce on her new found prey, "Now let's get this over with!" I leapt into the air and bolted toward her, both hands on my KeyBlade.

She blew her fire and I went right through it and slashed at her open mouth. She let out a horrid screech and shook her head. I backed away and pointed my KeyBlade up, the tip started to glow. Maleficent opened her piercing yellow eyes and glared at me, and let out a loud roar. She was about to cast a spell and not one that was just sending flames in my direction.

I moved my KeyBlade around to where the tip made a design. I learned it back home in a book, and I knew it couldn't hurt trying. Maleficent started glow and the air grew thick and musty. I finished my design and held my KeyBlade straight out in front of me.

"Fire of the Dragon, Burning in Hell, Heaven, and the Mortal World." The tip of my Blade started to flicker like a fire, a purple fire with a silver core.

Maleficent opened her mouth wide and a bright green light started to form with a dark mist forming swirling around it. You could hear the air around it being sucked in. It was like the sound of a broken vacuum that had a dog toy stuck in its hose.

I continued. "Burn together to make the Fires of Oblivion burn brighter still!" Maleficent shot her orb of her magic and if went at amazing speed. I flew toward the orb and pulled back my Blade, "I will not loose!" I slashed at the orb cutting it in two and headed straight for Maleficent.

She let out a howl as I came closer. I raised my KeyBlade and as I got to her head I yelled, _**"Dragon Flame Laceration!"**_ I brought down my KeyBlade with astounding force and it sliced through her right until it hit the ground. The slash flared with a purple light then exploded into a silver engulfing light.

When the light subsided I touched the ground and my KeyBlade disappeared. Maleficent thrashed her head around and finally collapsed on the ground. She glowed with a dark light and all that was left was her cloak from her human form. The roots and thorns around us dissipated I sighed heavily, relived that it worked. My wings and other Dragon features disappeared and I fell to my knees.

I was exhausted. My bones felt like Marshmallows, and my head felt like a 10 pound weight in water. My Heart also felt like it was hit by lighting, I was dizzy. I fell forward and just when I thought I was going to lie there all day I heard a voice call my name. I could see Sora running toward me and he skid to a stop right next to me. Donald and the others were close behind.

He rolled me over to my back and leaned me up against him. "Kyde! Are you ok? Kyde?!"

"You don't need to yell." I managed to say.

Everyone gathered around me. "How did you do it?"

"That's my secret." I smiled. "Can you help me?"

"Oh, ya." Sora helped me up and put my right arm over his shoulders. It hurt a little from the burn but with everything else hurting I didn't really care. He put his arm around my waist to anchor me.

Foot steps came from in front of us and I looked up. "How ironic," Riku stopped right in the middle of where the remains of Maleficent were, "she was just another puppet after all."

Tai emerged from a portal that he came out of. "Got you…" she looked around. "Oh." she frowned.

Donald ignored Tai. "What?"

Riku looked toward us, "The Heartless were using Maleficent from the beginning. She failed to notice the Darkness in her Heart eating away at her." He ground his foot into the ground and the dark cape disappeared, "A fitting end to such a fool." He backed up into a new portal.

"Not again…!" Tai moaned, and then looked at us. "What did you do?!" she ran toward us.

"I took care of it." I glared at her.

She smirked, "Well let's get out of here; we have to go after Riku."

Sora nodded, "Ya!"

"Here, let me carry her." Tai said taking my other side.

Sora let go, "So do you know where he is?"

After Tai had a hold of me she nodded, "In the room before this there's a hidden door, which will lead us to where Riku is." Sora nodded and took off running, the others followed and Tai and I just went at our own pace. "So what did you do?"

"I tried this thing I read about, nothing much."

"If it's 'nothing much,' then why can't you hardly stand?"

"I guess the first time wears me down."

"That would make sense." She paused, "So what did you do?"

"I'll show you later." I smiled evilly.

She smiled. "Sure, just make sure you don't pass out next time."



I got my strength back rather fast and was able to walk on my own by the time we got past the secret door way and through the elevator room. Sora was waiting for us at the end of the hall way with the pods. When we joined we started to run toward the stairway, but once up the stairs everyone got past but Goofy.

I stopped and looked back, "A force field!?"

"Kairi!" Sora yelled and ran over to Kairi who was still on the ground from before.

Tai was examining the field with Donald as I looked back to Sora and started to walk toward him.

Sora lifted Kairi up but she was limp. "Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!"

"It's no use." Riku said.

I stopped and Sora and I looked toward a large heart shape doorway. Riku was on top of it.

"That girl has lost her Heart. She can not wake up."

Sora put Kairi down and stood; I walked and stood by his side. "What? You, your not, Riku." He said.

"The Keyhole can not be completed," he started to float down to the ground, "so long as the last Princess of Hearts still sleeps."

"The Princess?" Sora looked down at Kairi then back at 'Riku', "Kairi's a Princess?"

He touched the ground, "Yes, and without her power the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time she awakened."

"Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his Heart!"

"But first, you must give the Princess back her Heart!" 'Riku' pointed his KeyBlade at Sora.

A bright pink light radiated from Soras chest, he gasped and grabbed his chest. He fell to his knees and his free hand. Donald was now standing next to me and so was Tai.

Donald looked at Sora, "Sora!"

"Whats?" Sora gasped.

"Don't you see yet? The Princesses Heart is responding." 'Riku' started to walk down the few steps from the door, "It has been there all along. Kairis Heart rests within you!" he stopped at the edge of the stairs.

"Kairi, Kairi's inside me?" he looked at Kairi. I knelt down beside Sora and put my hand on his shoulder.

"I know all that there is to know."

"Smug…" I growled.

"Tell me, who are you?" Sora asked.

"It is I, Ansem. The seeker of Darkness." He started to walk closer, KeyBlade in hand. Donald yelled and ran at Ansem but he pushed Donald out of the force field. He pointed his KeyBlade down at Sora and me, "So I will release you now Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting Darkness!"

I jumped to my feet, "I'll teach you to mess with me and my friends!" I called my KeyBlade.

Ansem looked shocked, and then smiled evilly.

"Kyde don't!" Tai yelled.

I pulled back my Blade and brought it forward, Ansem blocked. I pushed him back and he skidded a few feet backwards. I jumped up in the air and was about to strike but I stopped in midair. I looked down and his KeyBlade was imbedded in my stomach just above my bellybutton.

He lowered his KeyBlade to where we were close to each others faces. "This KeyBlade can do more that unlock a Heart in your case." Ansem smiled again, "It can bring out something." He jerked his KeyBlade and made it go in further.

I gasped then gritted my teeth, "I won't let myself be apart again." I grabbed his KeyBlade with my free hand. "Never again!" I gathered energy in my hand, "Thunder Dragon Bombshell!" the air around my hand exploded with an electric shock that traveled down the KeyBlade and through Ansem.

He yelled in pain and swung the KeyBlade, sending me flying. I went outside of the Force Field and slammed against the wall. I slid down and crashed against the floor, closing my eyes, I couldn't feel much after that.

I heard someone hit the ground and start to run. Then someone stopped next to me, "Kyde? Are you alright?"

I opened my eyes again and saw it was Tai, Donald, and Goofy. "Just peachy." I moaned.

"How did you do that?" Donald asked.

"Forget that! How are you still ok?" Tai demanded.

"Wa?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Where Riku, or Ansem, stabbed you. It's nothing but a scar!" she said again.

I looked down, she was right! There was a long scar where the KeyBlade had been. "Xyked…" I whispered.

"What?" Goofy asked.

"Nothing, what about Sora?"

Everyone looked toward Sora and Ansem. Ansem was in front of Sora again and was about to strike. Suddenly he looked up and blocked the attack. "Forget it! There's no way your taking Kairis heart!" Sora pushed Ansem back and was ready to fight, and he was mad. I've never seen Sora 'mad' before. He was always happy, but this was different.

Sora and Ansem exchanged blows and we, me, Tai, Donald, and Goofy, were watching and waiting at the edge of the force field. I felt fine after a few minutes; I don't quite know what Ansem did. I felt like he tried to sever the bond that Xyked and I made when we combined. We were still together but the bond was damaged, what would happen know I don't know. It scared me a little inside, after finding out some of the things Xyked did. Like what she did to Axel, and Tai… what else had she done that I didn't know about?

Ansem started to glow dark blue and black. He dropped his KeyBlade and fell to his knees and disappeared.

"Riku!" Sora yelled.

The force field disappeared and Donald yelled to Sora, "Sora! Sora look!"

"Uh, the Keyhole!" Goofy yelled, we ran to the large heart shaped door. It had turned black! It was different colors like red, green, and blue but now it had turned black!

Sora walked up to the Keyhole and attempted to lock it, but nothing happened.

"It won't work!" Goofy exclaimed. "The Keyhole's not finished yet!"

Sora put away his KeyBlade, "What can we do?"

"Maybe, we've gota' go wake Kairi up." Goofy looked back at Kairi.

Sora turned around and put his hand on his chest, "I think your right. If we can free her Heart… but, but how?" He looked at the KeyBlade on the ground left by Ansem. "A KeyBlade that can unlock people's Hearts… I wonder."

"Sora?" I said, what was he planning to do?

"Sora?" Goofy asked as Sora walked down the steps.

I followed but stopped just a few feet behind him. "Sora? What are you?"

He walked up to the KeyBlade and picked it up.

"Sora, hold on!" Goofy yelled.

"No wait!" Donald also yelled.

Sora just turned and smiled, then put the KeyBlade to his chest and pulled in.

"What the Hell are you doing?!" Tai shouted.

"You idiot!!" I screamed.

Sora went limp. The KeyBlade started to glow, and then pulled itself out. It started to disappear and six globes of light appeared and floated toward the hallway where the Princesses were. Then one appeared out of Soras chest and floated down to Kairi and disappeared inside her as she opened her eyes. The air around Sora started to sparkle and Sora was fading away, he started to fall backwards.

"Sora! Sora!!" Donald started to run for Sora, and so did I.

Kairi sat up, and when she saw Sora she got to her feet, "Sora!" She ran for him putting her arms out to catch him but he disappeared, and she looked up and the shine floated upwards.

"Sora! Come back Sora!" Donald yelled upwards but his glisten remnants disappeared.

"Sora! SORA!!!" All we could do was just stand there and look up.

"Sora, are you really?" Kairi stepped forward, "No he can't be," she put her hand on her chest, "I won't let him go!"

I looked at her, he gave everything for her. "Kairi…" The sound of a portal opening behind made me turn to look. Along with everyone else.

"So, you have awakened at last Princess." A man appeared from a closing portal. He had the same voice as the one from Destiny Islands and the one that was entangled with Rikus! He had dark skin, a jacket that was open in the front with armor and gloves. He had the mark of the Heartless that held the front of his jacket together, his jacket reached to just a few inches above the floor and he had black pants and boots. He also had the same white skirt around his waist that Riku had, only more distinct and under his coat. He also had long silver hair that stood out against his dark skin, he also had vibrant yellow eyes.

I clenched my fist. I wanted to kill him.

"The Keyhole is now complete," he made a hand motion toward the Keyhole. "You have served your purpose, but now it's over." He started to walk toward us.

"Don't make another move!" Donald demanded as he and Goofy got their weapons. Tai and I stayed next to Kairi.

Goofy hid his head behind his shield, "Do ya think we can stop him all by ourselves?"

The man continued to walk forward.

"I don't know." Donald said worried.

The man stopped and started to shake slightly, "Im-impossible!

A golden light formed in front of the man, who I was guessing was now Ansem, and formed into Riku. He was bent over. "No, you won't, use me for this!" he put his arms out.

"Riku!" Kairi said.

"You've gotta' run! The Heartless are coming!"

Just then multiple Shadow Heartless appeared from the ground and surrounded us. "Kairi! You, Donald and Goofy get out of here! Tai and I'll hold them off!" I called my KeyBlade.

She nodded and all three ran down the steps and to the hallway. Donald was screaming the whole way…

"What about the Keyhole?" Goofy yelled.

"Let's just get out of here!" Donald yelled after he finished screaming.

"Get out of here!" Riku yelled.

"I won't just leave you!" I ran toward him and stopped right in front of him, as Tai was kicking some of the Shadows around.

"I can't hold this much longer! GO!"

I grabbed his hand. "No!"

"Please Kyde!"

I held his hand tight. "I'll come back for you, I promise!"

He held mine tight and nodded. "Go…"

Holding back some tears we let go and I ran past Tai, grabbing her arm and dragging her with me. "We're leaving!"

"What?"

I dragged her down the steps and through the hall; I let her go outside of the door. "We have to catch up with the others!"

"What's going on here?" She rubbed her arm.

"I can't help him; he needs to do it himself! Otherwise he won't be able to anything himself."

"Whatever, let's go then!" she ran toward the other door and I followed.



We arrived in the first room just past the front doors, and made it down the stairs. Donald was hitting a Shadow on its head with his staff. "Confounded Heartless! Get lost will ya?!"

The Heartless just stood there and turned its head toward Kairi, Tai and I ran toward them. "What's going on?" I asked.

"This Heartless won't leave us alone and it won't fight." Goofy scratched his head.

"Sora, is that you?" Kairi looked at the Heartless. More Heartless surrounded us and Donald and Goofy started to attack them. Tai and I both sighed and started to attack also. "This time I'll protect you." Kairi put her back to the friendly Heartless. The Heartless crept closer to Kairi and then went to attack; Kairi turned around and held the tiny Shadow Heartless, "Sora!"

"Kairi!" Goofy and I yelled.

Light shot out from the middle of the pile of Heartless and they were thrown back. Sora appeared holding Kairi. "Kairi, thank you."

Kairi looked up. "Sora!"

"Sora!" everyone yelled, including me.

More Heartless appeared and a loud roar came from above, I turned to see Beast jump down from above and start attacking the Heartless. "Go! Now!"

Sora let go of Kairi, "Come with us!"

"I've told you before. I'm not leaving without Belle! Now go! The Heartless are coming."

"Alright, let's get out of here!"

* * *

Hope you all liked it! I know that it's just a basicly a recape with Kyde and Tai in it but I had to do it if I was going to follow the story line. -shrugs-

**This Chapter has been Edited**


	9. The Beginning of Intervention

I do not own anything of Kingdom Hearts or the characters thereof.

This chapter was really hard to write. So much... well I'm not going to give it away.

* * *

Chapter 8:

The Beginning of Intervention

We took different ships, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Kairi on one and Tai and I on hers. While the others took Kairi to Traverse Town, Tai and I went to look around in space. They said that she would be safe with Leon and his gang. Fair enough for me. I didn't feel like watching her again. Also, she had no idea what was going on and might end up getting in the way.

When we found what seemed to be a world or a black hole we stopped and sent a message to Sora. We were too far away from Traverse Town to talk so all we could do is send him a message and give him our coordinates. When he gets back to his ship he'll read the message, and then wait. Only Tai and I weren't ones for waiting.

Tai found a way to get us onto the world without landing on it, because to be honest there was nothing to land on. There were floating rocks and no real ground to speak of let alone see. She used some sort of teleportation devise that Cid installed a while ago, but never used until now. So you can tell my enthusiasm great.

We appeared in a small cove that had an opening leading to a plain that was as I said before, empty. We stopped at the edge of the rock path and just looked around.

"So this is what happened to all those worlds that were eaten by the Heartless?" I asked, not expecting a straight answer.

"This is a Heartless world, created by pieces of other worlds that the Heartless destroyed." Not an answer but good enough for me.

I put my foot down onto the 'non-existing ground' and found it to be solid. An illusion that was powered by all the Heartless. "Let's go."

"Not waiting for Sora?" Tai didn't follow.

I stopped and looked back at her, "Clearing the way is easier."

She shrugged and walked in front of me, then stopped.

I walked forward, "What's wrong-" I started to say but ran smack dab into what seemed to be an invisible wall. I stepped back and looked at Tai, she smiled. "You could have told me that there was something there!"

"Where would be the fun in that?" she started to my right.

"I'm staying behind you from now on." I said rubbing my nose.

Tai ended up leading the way through the invisible maze of illusion. Quite a title for something the Heartless created if you ask me. Then after the maze and countless battles with Heartless's called Behemoths and others that resembled demons and angels. They were harder then usual Heartless and took Tai and I some time to fend them off, but nonetheless we made it through with only a few scratches and scrapes. We had learned to back each other up by now. When either of us needed assistance we were there, there were more then demons and angels; there were floating balls with tails and what seemed like antennas. Those seemed to be the most annoying for me, but Tai seemed annoyed by the Behemoths. Secretly I liked fighting them, it put up a challenge, but I wouldn't tell Tai that.

Past the maze was a series of platforms that were connected by teleportation devises. Each platform had a hole in the center that lead to a remake of each world that was still intact in this solar system. All the ones Sora had visited and in order from what I could tell. We had no real reason to jump into them but I did anyways, dragging Tai along with me. I only recognized a few, like the one Tarzan was on, the one with Peter Pan, and Hollow Bastion.

We finally reached the last platform and there being no other place to go Tai jumped in first. I followed and found myself floating, this place hadn't the laws of gravity or I had my wings. Looking behind me and seeing no wings I ruled that out, also Tai was floating right below me. Before we could make some smart remark to each other we were interrupted by a loud roar that came from a volcano in front of us.

"Great a huge Heartless."

"I don't think that's a Heartless, Tai," I moaned.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know and I don't want to find out."

"Well the only way out of here is to go into that volcano."

My worst fear in the world was volcanoes, not a thought I wanted to have. I heard something behind me, like something ripping. I turned to look and saw a bright light, silver in color. "I'm not going into any volcano, but if you want to be my guest." I said willing myself forward towards the light.

She followed me into the light. We appeared in a different room, this time standing on hard ground. "Where the Hell are we now?" Tai asked irritated.

"You expect me to know?" I asked rubbing my eyes to get them adjusted to the new light. We were in a small room that had walls with designs of shadows and such engraved in them.

The room itself was beautiful but it had a very uncomfortable feeling to it. The ceiling was low and the floor made out of stone squares. Our footsteps echoed as we walked towards the middle of the room. There was a stone sitting on a table that stood in the middle of the room. The stone was different colors they seemed to swirl with each other inside its incasing.

Both Tai and I looked at it; there wasn't anything else in the room other than us and this table with the stone on it. A red and black stone, totally apart from the light silvery blue room, that wasn't any specific shape from what I could see. I reached out to touch it and saw Tai's eyes quickly turn to shock and look towards me.

"Kyde!"

It was too late; I had my fingers on the stone and couldn't remove them. An electrical shock shot through my arm, and I grabbed it with my free hand and squeezed. The pain was tremendous and never ending! It attacked my soul and the last piece of my heart. Tai tried to grab hold of me but was forced back when she touched me, and was thrown into the wall.

I couldn't speak, all I could do is grit my teeth and hold my eyes shut. I could hardly breathe and it felt like I was being ripped apart. I opened my eyes once more to see the stone start to gain new colors. Purple and silver streaks flowed into the stone and it started to change shape. Slowly, without my consent, my hand wrapped around the stone and picked it up. My whole arm was acting upon its own accord, and I could feel the intruding power slowly start to control my other arm.

I closed my eyes again and I could see Sora and the others standing on Destiny Islands, he was fighting Ansem. Then it stopped and he was fighting him alone, while Ansem had some sort of Heartless attached to him. Then that disappeared and Darkness engulfed my sight. Even when I opened my eyes it was dark and I was cold.

_'Pity, I thought you could do it.'_ A voice echoed in the Dark, no, it was inside me! _'I guess you really are the weak part of me.' _A body materialized in front of me. It was Xyked! She wore a black Organization Coat, but different than the others I had seen. She also had silver hair and eyes.

"What are you doing?" I finally managed to say.

_"Saving your ass."_ She seemed annoyed, _"You just placed your hand on the stone that is the Heart of this pitiful place."_

"The Heart?"

_"Yes the Heart, I thought you would have at least noticed the energy it gave off. No you only noticed how the room wasn't very welcoming." _She placed her hand on her face in disgust.

"Shuddup!"

She seemed shocked then removing her hand she smiled, _"What's wrong my dear Kyde?"_

"You tricked me. You've hurt my friends and made it look like I was to blame. You're not really a good girl like you made me believe."

Her smile faded, _"You wouldn't understand anything."_

"Tai and Axel, their lives and their love. You destroyed everything that mattered to them!"

_"I did it for you; I cared about Axel before I even got to know him. I knew that you would like him to so I split them apart."_

"You didn't do it for me! You did it for yourself!" I was still in immense pain and she didn't see it fit to relive me of it.

"I knew you wouldn't understand." She sighed and walked towards me.

"Get away from me!"

_"I can't. I am you."_

"Your not me! I wouldn't do things like you have done."

_"No, but you've thought of it. In the back of your mind when you were made fun of and mocked at you thought of hurting others. So much so that you've dreamed of getting rid of some people."_

"That wasn't me…"

_"Oh but it was, it was us."_ She placed one hand on mine and the power that was taking over my body receded.

"What are you doing?"

_"I'm over powering the Heart, and rearranging the bond we have."_

"I thought you created that bond, why are you going to destroy it?"

_"I'm not destroying it, I'm fixing it. Then reorganizing it to my advantage."_

"Your advantage? Fixing it?"

She smiled and got close to me, placing her other hand on my stomach where there was the scar from Ansem. _"This mark was caused by the same thing that tried to sever our bonds with each other, but if it weren't for that I couldn't have healed you and you've died. Although if you would have been more careful none of this would have happened. So in the end this is all entirely your fault."_

I could feel the power from the Heart retreat back into the stone and change back to its red and black colors. I dropped the stone and was about to fall to my knees, all my energy was gone. Xyked caught me and held me up with one hand behind me and the other still on my stomach. "What…?"

_"I'm taking over you, but not in a total since. Kind of like the state your friend is in."_

"Friend…" I could feel my will slowly slip from me.

_"Yes, Tai. Her and the world inside her. You may not be familiar with the likes of Twili and others like her, but I am."_ She paused for a moment, _"Tai can't die because Twili won't let her, but she can still feel the pain that she causes for herself." _She smiled again, _"Then there will come a day that she will want to kill me, for what I've done to Axel. Only that won't be possible, because we are one and if she kills me… well we both die. Not like I would go down so easily."_

"Let, me, go." I tried to demand, but it sounded more like a plea.

_"As you wish, for now my dear Kyde."_ She disappeared, and I fell to the ground.

My surroundings slowly changed back to normal. The stone was back on the table and looked just the same before I touched it. Tai was to her feet and now kneeling beside me. She looked worried, the first time I saw her look worried and it was over me.

"Kyde! What happened? Are you ok? What's wrong with you?"

"Tired…" was all I could get out.

Tai stood and carried me to the wall and leaned me against it to prop me up. "I saw you, and I heard you. What's going on? You were talking to someone and were floating for a moment before you fell." She looked me over and her gaze stopped at my stomach then looked back at my face.

"The Heart, I touched the Heart…" I tried to continue, "Someone saved me…"

"And this?" she pointed down to my stomach and I managed to look. The scar was now replaced with a design that to me looked like wings with some other design at the base of them. I didn't say anything.

"Who did this to you? I know someone or something did this."

"Is that what Twili told you?" I didn't mean to say that!

She was shocked, "How did you know her name?"

I hit myself on the inside, she never did tell me the name of 'it' inside her. Xyked just told me, "I know more than you think." This wasn't me!

"What happened to you?!" she demanded. "I know that you have another half, now tell me everything!"

"You didn't tell me about Twili."

"I never needed to say her name. I told you everything else."

"Have you?"

"You're the first and only one I have told." She was way beyond pissed now, and I didn't mean to make her that way.

"I can't tell you." But I really wanted to, but I couldn't.

_'I won't let you spill the beans just yet.'_

"Well I'm going to try!"

"They try!"

"It's her!" I felt pain shot from my stomach throughout my whole body, but continued. "She won't let me!"

"Your other half? What's her name?"

"I can't!!!" I yelled and my hand moved and grabbed her neck, I felt tears go down my face, "I can't…" I tried to get it to let go but I knew Xyked was controlling it. All I could manage was to make it not squeeze.

Tai just looked at me and sighed in disgust, then closed her eyes. When they opened again they were gold and her whole complexion changed. _"You're just as weak as she is." _That wasn't Tai's voice, _"But I do give you credit for holding her back enough so you wont choke poor little Tai… or maybe she hasn't gained full control yet and that's why you can still do so."_

_'Twili.'_

"So you're Twili." My hand still didn't retract.

_"Correct, and you're Kyde at the moment."_ She smiled.

"I won't let her come out."

_"I see that, but I also know that she can still hear me."_

"So what do you want to say?" I wanted to take away my restrain and just let Xyked choke her but it would only hurt Tai.

Twili let out some sort of laugh, _"She can't get to me through you, or through Tai. I'm much stronger then her."_

_"Wait tell you see me when this pitiful girl doesn't have hold on me. There are things even you can't do in that mortal human body, Twili." _I didn't say that, Xyked spoke through me.

_"So you can speak, just so you know. There will come a day I will kill you."_

_"Your vision is clouded, Twili. For I will be the one standing over you when you die."_

_"Your stories are amusing but hold no truth."_

_"Then let's settle this right now."_

_"Why? There is so much that isn't done yet."_

_"What do you care?"_

_"I'm not about to wait for another idiot to come by and pick me up, and I know that you don't want poor little Kyde to die either."_

_"I have more strength that you think, I won't use the power that Kyde holds unless to entertain me. While you'll use it under any circumstance."_

_"The entertainment part is what we have in common."_

_"We have more than that."_



The next thing I know I'm waking up in the middle of Darkness, just plain Darkness. I was floating in mid air and just below me was a white patch of ground. I flipped myself and my feet touched the ground. I looked around and I could see Sora, Donald, and Goofy running off towards a light that was at the end of a path.

"Sora! Sora!!" I yelled but he didn't stop. "SORA!!!"

_'It's no use, he's left you. Everyone's left you.'_

"Be Quiet!"

_'And where is Tai? I'll tell you, she left you while you were sleeping. Same with Sora, he saw you then left. He didn't need you anymore. Both he and that Riku deserted you for Kairi.'_

"It's not true." I clenched my fist.

_'It's not? You have proof standing right in front of you. Or shall I say around you, nothing. You're alone again.'_

"I said be quiet!"

_'But there is one person that is there for you.'_

"Kyde?" a voice came from behind me. I spun around; Axel was in front of a portal. "Are you ok?"

I started to cry again and ran to him; I opened my arms wide and embraced him. Engulfed in his warmth, "As long as I'm with you."

He wrapped his arms around me, "its ok."

"No. I shouldn't have left, I shouldn't have left you. I should have just stayed and none of this would have happened."

"Never again then… Never again."

* * *

OW! Why is the last in italics? Could it be? NO! 

The ending is here! For this is the end of this journey... Kyde's journey, my journey... or is it? My Heart is still here so it isn't over yet.

Also... DON'T KILL ME TAI!!!

**This Chapter has been Edited**


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